Drabbles for the Soul
by denytheworld
Summary: This is a collection of drabbles I've written for random communities from LJ and just for myself. In no order with many many pairings. Finished. For Now.
1. Sokkla100 1 to 10

Chapter One:

**Chapter One:**

001. Roses

"I want a dozen blood red roses." The demand was sudden, and all of her admirers and sycophants immediately dispersed to find said commodity. She took the opportunity to finish her walk in peace.

Later that evening, her entire wing of the Fire Nation Palace smelled like roses. Her rooms were filled with blood red roses, dusky pink roses, and many other assortments of colours. "Fools, didn't I tell them blood red only?" Azula scowled.

She was about to incinerate each and every rose but a flash of blue caught her eye. She picked up the deep blue rose and smiled.

002. December

He stared. She stared back. "Aren't you cold?" He asked through the silence and over the raging storm outside.

She shook her head and smiled.

"Not in the _slightest?_" He asked.

"Not in the slightest." She answered with amusement. Her glowing gold eyes reflected the fire that sat before them.

"But—but—this is your first time to the Southern Water tribe and there's a _fierce_ snowstorm going on outside, and you're not even wearing a coat! How in the world are you still warm?!" Sokka screeched incredulously while shivering slightly in his own parka. She let out a small puff of blue fire. "Oh."

"Firebending has its uses, Sokka." She raised a brow, "Oh come now, are you disappointed? We can snuggle if _you're _cold."

Sokka spent the rest of the evening trying to decide whether to admit he's cold and snuggle or to maintain his pride as a Watertribe man and withstand the cold.

003. Desert

"You, gorgeous," He leaned over to the beautiful firebender, "are as hot as the desert."

She smacked him upside the head and smirked, "I'm hotter."

004. Gold

After the failed invasion, everything he did reminded him of her. The sun reminded him of her prowess in her bending. Hiding out in the Western Air Temple reminded him of her as well. After all, if it wasn't for _her _their invasion would've succeeded. Zuko and his firebending reminded him of her as well. Zuko and Azula did look alike, being siblings and all—and they both loved fire with a passion. …Those damned pyromaniacs. He couldn't even wear red without thinking of her own red uniform. The gold coins they scammed reminded him of her eyes.

So imagine his shock when he woke up to find glowing gold eyes peering right back at him. "Good morning, Peasant."

He didn't know whether to scream or to kiss her.

005. Tapestry

"What in Agni's name is _that_?" Azula sneered at the new addition to her room. The man beside her sputtered indignantly.

"Hey! I worked hard on that!"

"Oh yes, I'm sure. It's _wonderful,_ really." Azula resisted the urge to gag. The fabrics were odd and of different colours. There was a few greens, a deep red (the only colour she approved of), and a whole lot of blues. "But what _is _it?"

"I don't know really." The Watertribe boy beamed, "But it looks beautiful in your room, huh?"

Azula nodded and silently promised herself to burn it later.

"I spent months on it! It was really hard to find every single piece of clothing I ever wore to sew it all together. I made it just for you." Azula slumped. She couldn't burn it. Damn her and her new found conscience.

006. Opaque

"What do you want from me?!" Sokka whirled around, reached out into the shadows, and pulled Azula out from its midst. The now sane princess waited patiently as the man shook her roughly. "Well?!"

Azula smirked. It had been years since the end of the war and Azula had fully recovered and was brought back to the Fire Nation Palace to live the rest of her life as a pampered princess. All was well until Zuko's friends decided to visit. She didn't really care about the Avatar, or Bei Fong, or the Healer. She had taken a sudden interest in Sokka, much to the amusement of Zuzu. Every time he would visit, she would trail after him like a shadow, just watching.

"Well?! You've been following me for weeks now! What do you want?!"

Azula shrugged, "I'm not sure, really."

007. Russet

The door was pushed aside and slammed against the wall loudly to reveal his wife's prone body lying on the floor. Adrenaline and the rushing of blood that was thrumming through him in deafening thunder suddenly died down to a deathly silence. He had been too late.

The russet stain of drying blood coated every inch of her visible skin, and hauntingly dead gold eyes stared sightlessly back at him. _I'm dead, and it's your fault_. Those eyes screamed. _I'm dead and I hate you._ Raven hair was drenched in blood as well, her throat was cut, her torso was stabbed repeatedly, her wrists were cut, and there was a knife through her head. _They did this to me and you didn't stop them. _He bent down to gingerly cup her cheek. _You failed me._

Years later, when he was an aged lonely man living in his isolated home in the Southern Water tribe, he would still remember his wife. He didn't remember the blood, he didn't remember her mutilated body, instead, he remembered what he felt when he cupped her cheek and kissed her one last time.

She was still warm.

_  
_008. Ink

His room always had the strong smell of ink permeating from it. Maybe he liked to write, maybe he was taking notes from those books he took from the Royal Library, maybe he was drawing one of his really ugly paintings, maybe he was vandalizing the walls, maybe he was drawing some complex ritualistic circle to sacrifice small animals, maybe he decided that bathing in water was overrated and have opted for ink baths, whatever it was, it irked her to no end that his room smelled like ink, but he didn't. So while he was out sparring with Zuzu, she snuck in.

Maybe she just wanted an excuse to go into his room.

009. Foreign

Azula rolled her eyes as she walked trying hard to ignore the frantically waving boy beside her. "You do know that they're only cheering for you because you're a foreign thrill. Most of these people haven't seen Water Tribe dimwits like you."

She wasn't expecting a bare, tanned, and incredibly muscular arm to be wrapped around her. She didn't expect him to pull her closer to him. She definitely didn't expect the crowd to cheer louder. She smiled nervously. When he finally released her, she was left with a feeling of emptiness.

As soon as her obligatory task of giving him a tour of the city was completed, she quickly went to the Royal Library to look up the foreign yet not unpleasant feeling she experienced.

010. Feathers

Okay, so he had volunteered to help escort the now fully sane and much more agreeable Princess Azula back to the Fire Nation Palace after her time at the psych ward. It beats watching Zuko and Mai going all goo-goo ga-ga over their baby boy at said Palace and it sure beats watching Aang and Toph going all goo-goo ga-ga over their baby girl as well. It also beats tending to a pregnant and hormonal Katara. But when he arrived to find one Princess sitting on the steps of the building with all her bags off to the side, he sure felt like backing out.

No matter how many people told him that she wasn't the homicidal Princess from a few years back, he would still fear her. Maybe if he slipped away quietly and-- "You're late." –Too late.

"Sorry about that, Princess Azula." Sokka forced himself to approach. "The—please don't kill me—I mean, the boat was a bit slow. Then I got lost—or at least make it fast and painless—and no one…er, bothered to help me. So are we all set? You look—less homicidal now—I mean, well."

Azula smirked. "Do I ruffle your feathers that much, you big baby?"


	2. Sokkla100 11 to 20

Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

011. Innocence

Her sudden shift from dangerous, insane, homicidal sociopath to guileless childish lost girl of six was always unexpected and scary. One moment she was practically foaming from the mouth, still gorgeous as ever, and screaming at the top of her lungs for her brother to release her so she can destroy him, and the next she was crying pitifully, alone and scared, demanding that her mother love her as much as Zuzu. Sokka only watched and fought the urge to embrace her.

012. Wet

Firebenders didn't hate water, they just despised being wet. They're like cats in that aspect. One would sooner find an Earthbender flying than see a Firebender wet for more than three seconds. Sure, they loved soaking—Iroh was proof of that—and they loved their liquids—Hey, Firebending is hot work, you know—but they wouldn't purposefully become wet more than necessary.

Or that was what Sokka thought. However, while he was busy teasing Zuko and calling his manliness into question while he was in the safety of water, a place Zuko wouldn't dare go into, another Firebender decided to break the rules.

He wasn't aware of Azula's presence behind him until he was prodded with two manicured fingers and a shock went through him. Zuko chortled happily from his perch away from the water. Sokka, on the other hand, was livid. He whirled around ready to lecture the Princess—who else would intentionally shock him with lightning?—for using electricity while in _water_ when his jaw dropped. "Guh—Buh—Guh—Azula! You look delicious—I mean pretty!"

"Hey! No hitting on my sister!"

"Hello, peasant." Azula purred. "Wanna go swimming?"

"Azula! No fraternizing with peasants!"

013. Blood

"Why did you do it?" Sokka watched Zuko scream frantically at his sister. She gasped for breath, desperately clutching to his shirtfront. Aang was trying to locate Katara to heal the fallen princess. "WHY!? AZULA!"

Her eyes fluttered shut and opened again after a tedious long pause. She gasped once more and coughed. Blood spattered everywhere. "Blood…is thicker than water."

"Father was blood too." Zuko frowned, confused. Azula cried out and shook her head impatiently, offering him a disapproving glare. "Azula, why did you save me? You're dying."

"Well," She rasped, "You're always the unappreciative one, weren't you, Zuzu?" She laughed, only to choke on more blood. She covered her mouth that time and cupped her hands to keep the blood in her hands. "Blood is thicker than water." The blood seeped through her fingers and cascaded into her lap.

"You're going to live." Zuko swore heatedly. "You're going to live, and we're going to start over. We're finally going to be happy, understood?!" Sokka watched, enthralled at the raw fear and anger on Zuko's face. He felt like he was intruding on a private scene. His own heart pulled. Instead of seeing Zuko and Azula, he saw himself and Katara.

Azula nodded weakly. "I'll still beat you in everything, deadweight."

"I'll still try to push you into the turtle-duck pond." Zuko smiled slightly. A sound caught their attention, and Katara was suddenly rushing towards them, water encasing her hands, ready to heal Azula.

"She's going to be okay." Sokka said awkwardly. Zuko nodded.

014. Betrayal

Azula was loyal. She was loyal to herself, first and foremost. She was loyal to her father, then her nation, then her friends. She never had clashing interests or goals. It was simple. Capture the Avatar, destroy the Avatar, win the war, and become the Fire Lord when the time comes.

It wasn't until much later that she finally found a kink in her plans. She had another loyalty added, albeit reluctantly, to her short list. Protect the Water Tribe boy. As long as she never showed particular interest in him, then no one noticed then he was no longer in danger. If her friends had noticed, none of them mentioned it.

Unfortunately for her, he was part of the Avatar's merry band of do-gooders. And therefore he was _always _in danger. Each meeting, Azula always watched out for the boy, subtle and quietly, but she watched. She knew the clock was ticking, and soon, oh so very soon, he would die, whether it was by her hands, her friends' hands, or by her father's. He will die.

So in the midst of battle, Ozai shot a lightning bolt at the Avatar's turned back. (It was silly of the boy to be distracted by his water wench—she can handle a few fire nation soldiers) The Avatar wasn't aware of it, Zuko saw but was too far away to make it in time to redirect it, the blind girl, Toph, was busy fighting off her own hoard of soldiers, and Sokka was the only one left.

But before the lightning reached Sokka, Azula shot her own lightning, and redirected her father's fire just slightly. But slightly was enough. Azula sighed in relief. Everyone stared at her shell-shocked.

She chose him. Her father unintentionally called her loyalty into question. And she chose him.

015. Courage

She feared nothing.

No, she was lying to herself again.

She feared loss (mother. Her sanity. Family.)

She feared disappointment (Zuko. Father. Weakness).

She feared loneliness (No one loves you. Monster.).

She feared. She feared her humanity.

"Azula, it's time to get up. Zu—whoa!"

Blindly, she had lunged at the male and grabbed onto him in a vice-like grip. A few moments later, she realized, this wasn't her brother. She didn't care. She clung closer to him, sobbing weakly. She didn't know how long they stayed like that. But it felt nice.

016. Pride

She had too much pride left in her to ask for help. Even though she was now the exiled princess of the Fire Nation, and is pretty much against Ozai as they were, she will not go to them for help. It was disgraceful.

So she wandered, she travelled to places she had always wanted to see as a tourist instead of a conqueror. First stop was Ba Sing Se. Her stop there was brief and definitely not pleasant. She went to the Misty Palm Oasis. It was dry, boring, and sandy. She went to Gao Ling. It was quiet enough, if not on the dreary dull side. She didn't dare go to the Southern or Northern Water Tribe. After travelling around the Earth Kingdom and finding everything depressing or dull, she decided to go back to the place she had the most fun at. Ember Island.

What she hadn't expected was to find Zuzu and his little buddies hiding out at their old home. She had planned to use their summer home as well. Their reaction to her presence was pathetic at best. They had all gotten lazy; Zuko and the Earthbender were the only one really serious enough to get into their stances. "Relax," She said, "I've been exiled so I'm not really obligated to kill you all."

"What are you doing here, 'Zula?" Zuko demanded.

"You know, I'm on vacation." Azula smiled easily, "I've been banished for saving one of yours. Daddy wasn't pleased."

The water tribe boy she had saved looked affronted, "So you mean you've been banished for how long? And you didn't come to any of us to help us with our plans?! Aang still needs to learn firebending!" Ungrateful whelp, Azula thought.

"I'm _right _here, Sokka." Aang and Zuko snarled.

"No offense to you both then." Sokka dismissed, which only pissed them off more.

"I'm on vacation. I've had enough trouble chasing you. If I actually sided with you I'll have grey hairs before I'm twenty. I can easily live here for the rest of my life." There was a pause and a row of incredulous to affronted faces stared back at her. "Well…as soon as you all move out, of course. I like my space."

"I think having another firebender here would be good." Sokka said, and gave the rest of the group a 'don't-argue-with-me' look. "Why don't you help us, Azula? You probably know all of Ozai's plans."

"I'm an exiled princess who hopes for redemption. So therefore, I will have to kill one of you, put your head on a spike, and make my way back home." Azula droned, "now which one of you would be so kind as to die?"

"We need your help, Azula." Sokka said empathetically. "We can't pull off the plan without you. We need more fire power." She contemplated the idea. They were asking her for help, she supposed her pride would allow her to help them. She nodded.

"As long as I don't have to teach that lack-wit Avatar."

017. Lust

With Yue, he felt unworthy and shy. Yue was a soft-spoken, cultured princess of the Northern Water Tribe. He was just a peasant from the Southern Water Tribe. Their love was short but sweet.

With Suki, he felt adoration, dedication, and admiration. Suki was a warrior and a confident young woman. She knew her boundaries, knew when to charge and retreat, she was a natural born leader. He admired her, he adored her, and he was faithful to her. Their love was nice and safe. It was fun.

With Azula, he felt need, desire, lust, power, anger, happiness, frustration, he felt so much. It was all consuming. Like her element, she made him thirst for more. Soon, his thirst for her turned into lust. Every thing she did drove him mad. Their love was comforting, safe, dangerous, wild, and fulfilling.

018. Envy

Envy was one of the seven deadly sins. Envy was also one of the sins that Azula never associated herself with. What could a beautiful, intelligent, and strong woman like her ever want or envy? She had suitors at her beck and call, an army of servants, and enough control over her nation to rule the world if she so wished. She was rich, she was famous and people envied her, _not _the other way around.

So why did she feel such longing and hate when she spots those water tribe siblings play fight and laugh together? She couldn't possibly be envious. She glanced back at her own brother, busy with signing documents, then back at the happy pair in the garden below Zuko's office. She _was_ envious.

019. Wrath

Her father's wrath was something she was unaccustomed to. She had saved him over conflicted loyalties and she paid for it. She was forgiven eventually, and was sent out to rectify her mistake and kill him. She couldn't and she paid for it again. And again. And again.

It was her last time. Her last betrayal and refusal to end his life. She was going to be executed tomorrow morning at dawn. "I've faced my father's wrath for you time and time again. Do you realize how loyal I am?"

He was probably getting fresh with his Kyoshi Warrior.

020. White

"I am not wearing white for our wedding."

"It's the colour all Water Tribe brides wear!" Katara protested. "It's tradition! It'll symbolize your willingness to join our tribe and embrace our culture." Hakoda nodded.

Azula shook her head. "I am going to wear red."

"You _always _wear red!" Katara sighed in frustration. Azula smirked and pointed at her clothing. "Okay, so you're wearing blue this time, but you can't just wear red at your wedding!"

"_Whose _wedding is it?" Azula questioned coolly.

"Yours." Katara groused, crossing her arms.

"Then I'm not wearing white."

Katara opened her mouth to protest, but Azula cut her off. "White symbolizes the colour for mourning and death in the Fire Nation. I don't think the Fire Nation guests would appreciate the gesture."

Hakoda sighed, "Sokka, what do you think?"

Both women glared at him, willing him to take their side. "Eh…well…Azula looks beautiful in everything." Azula smiled smugly at Katara before leaning over to kiss Sokka.


	3. Sokkla100 21 to 24

021. Picture

Normally, Azula wouldn't be found anywhere near the messy Water Tribe boy's room. However, her mother had asked her oh so nicely if she would bring Sokka down for dinner. The elder Fire Nation woman was automatically worried when dinner began and Sokka wasn't present. Sokka never missed dinner.

Azula rapped her knuckles precisely across the door and swung it open half a second afterwards, "Look, peasant, dinner's ready and—"She stopped. The room was empty. It occurred to her that she should leave. Immediately. She _immediately _tossed _that _thought out of her head. They may not be enemies, but a princess will need a little blackmail material to motivate her minions' once in awhile.

She stepped over various piles of clothing, and headed straight for the bed. Everyone hid things worth finding around their beds. Mother and her jewelry, Zuzu and that damned knife, Uncle Kooky and his prized tea set, so on and so forth. "It's probably some racy brassiere from one of his new acquisitions." Azula sniffed. "Womanizer."

What she found was definitely not some racy brassiere. It was a picture. Of her. And what looked like a roughly cut out picture of him pasted on beside her. She didn't know whether to smile, burn it, or take it with her.

022. Father

Hakoda stopped himself from looking up at the Princess. He knew she's been watching them. Or more specifically, him, for the past half hour. It was really starting to unnerve him. What was she thinking? Was the princess plotting something? Hakoda shook his head, and tried to rejoin the conversation amongst the crew. Before the crew returned below deck, Hakoda made a point to meet the Princess's eye and smile. A look of shock flashed upon her face and she immediately disappeared into the shadows.

Azula hid her smile. So that was what it was like to have a father.

023. Marionette

She hated him. One would think, oh big deal, Princess Azula hates someone. She hates many people. She wouldn't deny it, she was a woman with an amazing memory and an even more outstanding ability to hold a grudge—but this was different.

He was different. He was cunning, manipulative, and he was a damned good liar! He was so good—_he _probably doesn't even realize that he's lying! It makes her mad to even think about him. He _controlled_ her!

He was like a puppetmaster and she was his regretfully willing marionette. She couldn't help but grimace. He has her entranced and completely under his control. "Are you feeling alright, Azula?" A large hand found its way to her shoulder.

She completely shoved her train of thought into the dark recesses of her mind and smiled at the oblivious object of her affections. "I'm alright." She can feel the idiotic smile on her face. She was melting in those blue eyes.

Maybe being a marionette wasn't so bad.

024. Glass

It was oddly shaped and beautiful. Well, if she had handed the object she had to an art critic, they would most likely say, "_Princess _Azula, I would've hoped that such a refined young lady such as yourself would have better taste in art."—But it was beautiful to her!

It looked like a malformed penguin-walrus, however, the card that accompanied the little trinket implied that it was made in her likeness. She didn't know whether to kill him or kiss him. It probably took a lot of bribery to have both Zuzu and Toph help him make the glass figurine.

This is for Sokkla100


	4. Personal List No 8 Root

Who're You Rooting For?

It was one of those routine things that comes up in their little group. Sokka would piss off Zuko for whatever reason, Zuko would retaliate in whatever which way, and the two would duke it out--sometimes in front of the others, sometimes elsewhere. They would always come back calmer and smiling albeit limping and burnt. "Their testosterone gets the better of them." Katara would say indulgently as she healed the two. "Or their idiocy." Despite her mumblings, Katara didn't really mind, there could be worse ways to settle their differences.

By now, everyone took it for granted and uses the pair as a source of entertainment. Sometimes, Toph would even rile them up just for her amusement or her benefit, like now...

"Five coppers on Princess. Snoozles' ass is going down!" Toph crowed. Aang nodded reluctantly beside her, and eagerly threw five coppers into a bowl--their 'pot'.

"Sokka can so take him!" Katara shot back, dropping five coppers as well, as she dutifully defended her brother. Suki nodded fervently, dropping more coins in as well.

"Azula!" Both groups turned to her for support. The Princess shrugged. "I don't care."

Later that evening, she would wonder why she found such difficulty in deciding who to root for.


	5. Personal List No 40 Dance

Dance Around

When he tripped, she laughed and jumped over the fallen boy easily. Zuko let out a relieved sigh, for a moment, he thought he saw worry and affection in Azula's eyes.

When she slipped on ice, Sokka offered her a hand. Zuko's breath hitched as Azula reached for it--he would be a fool not to notice Sokka's eyes lighting up. He breathed onc again when Azula took his hand and pulled him down to the ground with her. She clambered up by herself and sauntered off.

When he almost fell off a cliff--"I saw a flower, and I just--"--while trying to pick a flower, Toph berated him loudly. Kaara scolded him, but Azula walked away without a word. Katara almsot expired of shock when Azula was seen with the flower in her hair.

When she cried, Zuko would always be there with her, but he was nearby as well--just in case.

He would comment on something, she would make an acerbic comment in return offhandedly, he'll shut up and walk away--leaving her oddly unsatisfied.

Sokka would try to coax a laugh from her with his jokes. Katara would watch on silently, not worried in the least for her brother's feelings. He wouldn't possibly have feelings for Zuko's sister. She was surprised to find the sullen Sokka--a side she rarely saw from her brotherafter Azula told him he wasn't funny.

Both Zuko and Katara passed out when they woke up one morning to find Azula and Sokka snuggling by Appa. Toph scoffed, "Lightweights."

"I still didn't see that coming," Aang commented, dazed, as he sat down awkwardly before the snuggling couple. "Weren't they fighting?"

"Courtship is a strange and indicate dance." Iroh smiled sagely.


	6. Personal List No 33 Gloves

Gloved Hands.

"I never really touched her hands." Sokka sighed wistfully, filling in the comfortable silence between the two teens. It was a full moon that night, and the two older males of the group had decided to have a spar before they retired to bed.

"So you made out with her, but you never held her hand?" Zuko snickered, "Sokka, I think you're going at it a little backwards."

"I meant," Sokka glared at the other boy, "Yue wore gloves. She was beautiful. Still is really," Sokka waved at the full moon. "I would've probably married her."

Zuko sensed the silent 'but' in the air, "But...?" He prompted.

"She was engaged."

"...That's rough, buddy."


	7. Personal List No 43 Play

Play

She was completely insane and potentially--no, scratch that,--she was downright dangerous and able to kill all of them in their beds. One should think that Zuko, the main victim of Azula's torment over the years would realize that he should lock her far, far, far away from his family. One would think wrong. No, the Fire Lord had insisted on having his sister with him as much as possible, sometimes even bringing her to his council meetings. Normally, that wouldn't have gone over so well, but Azula frequently lapsed back into her childhood years--making her a scarily powerful and vicious woman with the mind of an eight year old.

Zuko the Insane, some would call him. Others, would call him--"Zuzu!"

Zuko smiled warmly at the sight of his younger sister approaching him. His smile faded when he caught sight of the tears welling in her warm golden eyes. "What's wrong, 'Zula?" Whoever made his baby sister upset will pay. They'll be humiliated, extorted, tortured, and then hanged. No one messes with his sister--

"That idiot water tribe peasant Sokka won't play with me."

"Well, you can ask him later, I'm sure he's just a little busy--" Zuko faltered. "He's a boy."

"Yeah," Azula agreed, disheartened. "And I don't think he likes me very much."

"What game did you want to play, 'Zula?"

"House."


	8. Personal List No 18 Impress

Impressed

It was a little before dawn and after a night consisting of tossing and turning with no sleep, Sokka decided that if he was going to be awake, he might as well do something productive with his time. He clambered out of bed drowsily, shivering lightly when the cooler air around him met his warm skin, and got dressed. With much fumbling in the dark, he was finally ready to head out of his room, sword in hand.

Azula was already using the grounds, practicing her morning drills when she noticed another person in the courtyard. "Oh, it's you." Neither her mother or her brother was around, therefore she felt no need to greet the water tribe warrior with a more polite greeting.

"Morning, Princess Azula!" Azula winced as the teen's loud voice practically cut through and butcher the serene and peaceful quiet of the morning. "You wanna spar with me? I'm pretty good y'know." Oh she knew. She had frequently watched Zuko and Sokka spar in the evenings.

"I suppose." She'll have to punish the buffoon for killing her morning.

She had lost. If they had actually been in a real battle and if his sword wasn't padded, she would've been sliced in half. She should've been angry. Ever since she was little, she hated losing. But instead of storming off and planning to push him into a pond, she was impressed. "So," the teen said awkwardly, trying to fill in the silence between them. "Do you...wanna go grab breakfast or something?"

Azula nodded.


	9. Personal List No 49 Exchange

Exchange

"I know where she is." After two hours of silence, she had spoken. Immediately a swirl of red robes was before her, long fingers wrapped around the bars of her cell, and she could see the pale skin stretched over the knuckles.

"Azula, tell me." His voice cracked. _Still too emotional._ Azula chided him in her mind. Instead, she remained silent, and forced a content smile on her grimy face.

"Knowledge is power, Zuzu."

"Azula, tell me!" _He's losing his temper awfully fast nowadays._ Azula thought, storing that piece of knowledge carefully in her mind. "Tell me where mother is!"

"Knowledge is power, and you are weak." Azula smiled, much wider, revealing her teeth.

"You little,--"

"Zuko. Don't." Both siblings turned to face the newcomer. It was the water tribe boy. The one who cried for his little Kyoshi Warrior. _I hope she's dead. _Azula thought with bitter resentment.

"She knows, Sokka." Zuko wrung his hands. "She _knows! _I have to get to mother now or--" _Idiot, he shouldn't discuss things in front of the enemy. Weak._

Apparently, the water tribe boy thought so too, and shook his head. "Not in front of her." Zuko nodded and he walked past the water tribe boy without another word to her. Azula smirked.

"Do you really know where Princess Ursa is, Princess Azula?" Azula eyed the boy. She had thought he had left with her brother.

"Perhaps. Possibly. I don't really care." Azula answered breezily.

"You honestly don't care if your mother is alive or not?" He seemed surprised. _I suppose Zuzu didn't really talk to his friends about our relationship, huh, mother? _

"I hate her." He left after that.

Zuko was back again, and again, she pushed his buttons so much, so well, so skillfully that he had to leave after the first ten minutes. During that time, Sokka was sent in to talk to her. She hadn't expected her brother to do that, and voiced her opinion.

"Is it so hard to believe that I came to visit you?" Sokka grinned.

Azula waved an arm around to bring his attentions to their surroundings. "Welcome to my palace, peasant." She remarked dryly. She expected him to be angry with the derogatory term, he laughed instead.

"Well, here," He tossed her an apple, which she caught deftly. "I looked over the crap menu they served to prisons a few days ago. Not appetizing at all." He waited, as if expecting a 'thank you' from her, and once he realized he wasn't going to receive one, he continued, "Well, I'll see you whenever, I guess. Zuko's going to drop by in a few hours."

Azula munched pensively on her apple as she watched Sokka disappear down the hallway. The idea of not seeing him was irritating her for some reason.

Just like what Sokka said, Zuko did come by later. "I have a proposition for you, Azula." Zuko began, seemingly composed. But Azula knew better. He was just _so _easy to read. "You tell me where mother is, and Aang won't take your bending away."

"I won't stand to be threatened." Azula smirked as she idly traced patterns on the floor. "I might conveniently forget where daddy placed mother." Azula felt a surge of triumph rush through her as she felt the temperature spike up around them, an indication of Zuko's rising temper.

"Azula--"

"But _I _have a proposition for _you, _Zuzu." Azula walked to the front of her cell and reached out to grab him, pulling him roughly against the bars. "You let me out--"

"Absolutely not."

"--and give me Sokka."

"He's not mine to give."

"He's in the Fire Nation. He's yours." Azula said easily, brushing some imaginary dust from her brother's shoulder. "Besides, don't you want to know where dear mummy is, Zuzu?" His face crumpled, he turned, and left without a backward's glance.

As expected, in a few days, her cell was opened and she was led to the Fire Lord's War Room with several guards.

Sokka, his sister, the earthbender, Uncle, and the Avatar were all seated around a table, with Zuko at the head. "You have a deal."


	10. Personal List No 7 Pick

Pick! Continuation of Exchange!

When Zuko had returned after his second visit that day, Sokka knew something was wrong. "So, did she tell you?" Sokka asked conversationally as he fell into pace beside the Fire Lord.

"She offered to tell me."

"That's great!" Sokka beamed, and slapped the other boy heartily on the back. "Congratulations, Zuko!"

"I said no."

"Why?" Sokka groaned, "Aww, don't tell me! She had a catch, didn't she?" Zuko was silent but Sokka had his answer. "Well, whatever it is, give it to her. This is your mother we're talking about here."

"She wants out of that cell."

"Well," Sokka scoffed, "considering the fact that the food there sucks, the view there sucks, the smell there sucks, the decoration there sucks, and pretty much everything there sucks, wouldn't you want out of that cell?"

"And she wants you."

"...sure."

"Sokka!" Zuko growled, he tugged at his hair roughly. "I'm serious here! Think about your safety! You have no idea what she's capable of doing! She's sick and she's twisted and she's dangerous! It's one thing to have her roaming about, but it's completely different to let her just _have _you."

"Maybe she's just lonely." Zuko let out a frustrated yell.

"Listen Sokka. She. _picked. _you." Zuko hissed, "Nothing good ever happens to people she handpicked!"

"Well, at least she wants me alive." Sokka joked. "It could be worse. She could've said, 'I want Sokka's head on a spike to decorate my cell.' " Sokka was the only one that laughed.

Zuko decided it was time to use a different approach. "What about Katara, and your tribe? What would they say?"

"Hmm...that _could _be a problem." Sokka frowned. "But I'm sure we can work our way around it somehow!" He chirped brightly.

"She had to pick the stupid one." Zuko moaned.


	11. Personal List No 13 Meeting

Meeting--After Exchange and After Pick

"I'm glad you see it my way, Zuzu." Azula smiled easily.

"Of course, there are a few guidelines I want you to follow and--"

Azula tsked. "See, you really should've mentioned that when we were still in the discussion part of our deal. Now...it's kind of too late." She smiled venomously. A tense silence filled the room and she could see the uncertainty on his friends' faces. "But I'll let this one slide, since you did agree to my terms. I feel like I'm cheating you. It's _just _mother, after all." Azula sat down at the far end of the table. "So what is it?"

"I want you to lead the search with Toph, Uncle, and Katara."

Azula raised a brow. "And?"

"...and Sokka." Zuko added, disgruntled. "While you're away from your cell, you are to be with Sokka or Katara at all times."

Azula hadn't changed her expression one bit. At the mention of Katara, cool golden eyes landed on said girl, and she smiled, "I look forward to it." _Pathetic waterbender. _Katara couldn't help but shrink back into her seat.

"All of Ozai's supporters have abandoned the cause or imprisoned for years now. Don't get any funny ideas, Azula."

"No thinking and no travelling. Of course, Zuzu." Azula quipped with a sassy smirk. Sokka chuckled, but was quickly elbowed by his sister.

"Don't kill. Or I'll be forced to kill you."

"Mmmhmm..."

"And you'll have to check in with me every month."

"Of course." Azula sighed, "Can I go now?"

"You'll lead the search as soon as possible."

"Tonight then." Azula decided. "As lovely a meeting as this is, I suggest you all get packed. There are several locations that Father had placed Mother."


	12. Personal List No 4 Personal

Personal. After Exchange. After Pick. After Meeting.

"Well, this is a disappointment." Azula drawled as she kicked open the door and walked in. "She's not here."

"How do you know?" Katara asked suspiciously. It had been a few weeks since they've been travelling together, and they've gotten nowhere, and now that they've arrivd at their destination, Ursa was gone. "I'm thinking that you're just leading us on. What are you planning? We've barely investigated the house and now you want us to leave?"

Azula turned lithely to face the other girl. Sokka, Toph and Iroh both sighed, another confrontation. "Well, now I know why Zuko didn't hire _you _to think. Does anything stay in that pretty little head of yours?"

"_You_--"

"The sun is setting, I suppose we can use the manor house for the night." Azula interrupted Katara. "Get in, stupid."

Sokka was bored. Sure, it was fun travelling and stuff again, but Iroh as definitely not temperamental Zuko, and Azula was definitely not Aang. It just wasn't the same.

So could anyone blame him for snooping--er, investigating his surroundings? He sifted through the contents of a drawer and picked up a small box at the very bottom. Interesting. He looked around, and shrugged, it's not like anyone would mind him snooping around. Apparently, Azula did.

"And what are you doing here?" She demanded, her ands on her hips and a scowl on her face. Sokka was terrified. Azula had kept her exression and speech stilted and controlled. The evident anger in her voice didn't bode well for him. He stood, frozen, as he watched the woman approach him. She grabbed the box from him, "Well?"

"I was--uh, just...looking around?" Sokka smiled nervously. Azula raised her hand, and for a split-second, Sokka thought he was going to be shot full of lightning. Instead, she cupped one side of his face, and smiled.

"Don't act cute." She pinched him, and he could feel the light scraping of her sharp nails against his skin. Enough to be felt but light enough to do him no harm. She laughed, her narrowed eyes trained on his blue ones. "This is my room. This box is mine. The contents are mine. Don't touch them."

Sokka gulped. "O-okay."

"Good," Azula stepped back, "Now get out."


	13. Personal List No 31 Intelligence

Intelligence--31.

"He's so childish." Mai dismissed when Ty Lee had mentioned the cute water tribe boy they had encountered a few days ago. "And weak." Azula didn't say anything, but she disagreed.

He was perfectly able to read her and predict her movements. He wasn't a bender, but he could hold his own against benders. He was confident and he was the leader.

Years later, when a group of Fire Nation delegates were sent to the Southern Water Tribe for a peace celebration, Azula would watch Sokka play with the children, slowly making himself the alpha male amongst the group. "Childish then, even more so now." Mai sniffed from beside her and wrapped her coat around herself tighter.

Azula shook her head, "Manipulative."


	14. Personal List No 9 Threat

Threat

Zuko stood frozen to his spot. It must've been at least ten minutes since Katara had left after her little rampage. He looked around his bare room and his eyes slowly drifted back to the door from which Katara had stormed out of. He was completely confused.

And slightly turned on.


	15. Personal List No 27 Sea

Sea

"I miss you. I miss you more than I miss meat. I--no, that sounds pathetic." Sokka grumbled to himself as he scratched his already barely legible writing on the scroll. "I like you--no, I _love _you. You'll always have a place in my heart, I--No! no! no!" The scroll, now completely filled to the brim with scratches, was then mercilessly bunched together and thrown over the frustrated boy's shoulder. "This is _so _stupid!"

After many sleepless nights and nightmares, Sokka had confided in his wise and very understanding and compassionate Gran-Gran about his encounter with his first love, Yue, and her death. She had suggested that he find closure, and to do so, he had decided to take the challenge of writing a letter to her.

Sokka groaned. Nothing sounded _right._ No words he could think of would describe his longing, his sadness, his disappointment, his love for her. Nothing the best could be given to Yue and so, Sokka spent even more sleepless nights trying to find fitting words. Many, many scrolls and gallons of ink later, he made no progress.

"Get out of that stuffy room, Sokka." Gran-Gran chided him. "Go take a walk." He was promptly shoved out of his room and into the cool night air.

He found himself leaning out of a watch tower overlooking the vast ocean, and staring at Yue's reflection shown in it. He felt a burning hot jealousy for the sea, forever with Yue, while he was stuck--alone and miserable.

"I wish I was your sea, Yue."


	16. Personal List No 23 Cook

Cook  
OR

Sokka the Pimp Extraordinaire

There was a silence as all five women regarded the oblivious dead asleep water tribe boy.

"He loved me first." Yue challenged. Silence reigned over the group once more.

"I can fight." Ty Lee broke the silence, a defiant spark in her eyes.

"I made out with him." Suki shot back, trying hard to find some advantage over the other girls.

"_Please, _we've all made out with him." Toph snorted, shoving Suki out of her way.

"I'm perfect." Azula smirked, brushing her bangs out of her face.

"I'm a Princess." Yue defended herself.

Azula frowned, "So am I, idiot." She sneered maliciously at the other girl, "You're _dead,_ if you haven't noticed."

"I saw him first!" Suki protested, shoving Toph back.

"I've spent more time with him." Toph said coolly, a confident smirk on her face. "And I can kick all of your little asses."

"I _beg _to differ!"  
"Don't make me use my moon powers on you!"  
"I'll just hit all your ugly pressure points."  
"I'll shoot you full of lightning."

"Oh yeah? Why don't we try, right now?" Toph said, a little too loudly. All five women jumped back, and appraised one another.

Katara sighed, and approached the group of girls. "Ladies, there is only one way for you to settle this." All five fell silent immediately and paid rapt attention. "Which one of you can cook?"

The girls looked lost.

"I'm a Bei Fong!" Toph protested. "I don't cook."

"I'm _Princess _Azula/Yue!" The princesses exclaimed, aghast.

"Not very well." Suki deflated.

"Of course I can!" Ty Lee beamed. "I win!" The other four shot her venomous glares.

"Win what?" Sokka asked groggily. "And what's with all the noise?"


	17. Personal List No 26 Run

Summary: Zuko manages to run into all his exes while visiting his uncle in Ba Sing Se.

"Li?" Zuko felt his stomach drop. Something was not right. He wasn't supposed to be recognized. He lowered his head, and prayed to Agni that he wouldn't be discovered. He stiffened when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "It's me, Jin."

"Oh, hi, Jin. How are you?" He paused, and Jin waited. "Why don't you sit?"

_Okay, _Zuko tried to calm himself and make a game plan. _I make idle chatter for about ten minutes, and leave. Simple, clean, and fast. _"Li?" Six carriages ran into each other with a loud crash in the highway known as Zuko's brain.

Zuko turned around, "Oh, hi Song." He greeted the other girl with gritted teeth. He hoped the girl didn't notice his lack of enthusiasm. They didn't. Song was apparently sizing up Jin.

She turned to him and smiled, "Do you mind if I sit?"

"No, not at all." Jin answered for him. Zuko gulped. This is not going to end well. "So, Li, who's this?"

"Oh, uh, this is Song. Song, this is Jin." Zuko calmed down. They're just two girls. He could handle two girls. He'd faced worse. "So, uh, Song, what brings you to Ba Sing Se?"

"Oh, I'm taking a course in Ba Sing Se University right now." Song answered. "I'm hoping to be a doctor."

"You'll be good, I can tell." Zuko complimented the girl, much to Jin's chagrin. "How are your ostrich horses?" After he had been coronated, he had made it his first priority to send a dozen ostrich horses and medical texts to Song. Before Song could reply or Jin to ask about what ostrich horses, another voice broke in.

"Oh, Zuko, it's you." Zuko felt a shiver go through him. Two nonbending and sweet Earth Kingdom girls, he can handle. Mai...he can't.

"Who's she, Li?" Jin asked, Song looked confused beside her.

"This is, uh, Mai. From the circus." Zuko explained. "You know, the knife-thrower."

Jin's eyes filled with comprehension and relief. "Would you like to sit, Mai? Why'd you call Li, Zuko?"

"Isn't that the Fire Lord's name?" Song asked, curiously.

Zuko caught Mai's eyes and poured every pathetic feeling into them and tried to convey them to her. _Please, please, please, please, please, please--_ "It's his stage name." Mai answered boredly, finally. "So, _Li_, who're these two ladies?"

"Mai, this is Jin, and this is Song." Zuko said, relieved that Mai took pity on him. _No more girls. Please no more girls. _He begged as he silently let the three women talk around him. For a while, the three talked, and Zuko actually thought he was going to make it out alive.

"Sorry for your wait sir, here's your tea--Princess! What the hell are you doing here for?" Zuko wanted to run into a wall.

"Hey Toph." Zuko greeted the blind earthbender. The girl frowned. "So it's Miss Death and...who're those two?" Zuko chuckled nervously. How could he have forgotten that Toph was working for his uncle?! "Whatever, mind if I sit? I'm taking my break anyways." Before Zuko could say anything once again, Jin interrupted.

"Sure, why not?" Toph made space in the already full table, wedging herself in between Mai and Jin.

"So, how do you know _Li?_" Mai asked.

_Please, please, please, please **don't**_**--**"We're friends." Toph paused. "So, who're you two?"

Zuko introduced them again. "Toph, this is Song and Jin."

"Well, I didn't know you were visiting Ba Sing Se, Princess." Toph said, smirking. "Sweetness is still in the city and she's probably looking for a rebound--"

"Zuko, I didn't know you were visiting Ba Sing Se." Zuko groaned quietly and forced a polite smile on his face.

"Katara, have a seat." Zuko sighed, tiredly. "This is Song, and Jin. Song and Jin, this is Katara. She calls me Zuko because it's my _stage name _for the _circus _I went to." Zuko prayed that Katara took the hint.

"Yeah, I'm the healer there." Katara smiled brightly. She did miss Zuko. She narrowed her eyes at the competition. "So, how do you all know Li?" Zuko held his breath for the rest of the conversation, and gulped down his steaming hot tea, scalding his tongue in the process.

"Zuzu! Your aura's looking well!" Zuko almost spat out all his tea at Mai--who was sitting opposite from him as two slender arms wrapped around his neck. "I missed you so much!"

"Who's she?" Jin asked.

"She's the contortionist and the ringmaster of the circus I went to! Right, Ty Lee?" Ty Lee giggled and nodded. "Why don't you sit, Ty Lee?" Zuko knew she was going to anyways. The girls scooted over to make room for the girl, and the conversation continued. Zuko looked at the clock. It was almost closing time, just a few more minutes and--

"Hey, Zuko, oh Fire Lord Zuuuuuko!" Everything crashed. _Damn you, Sokka! _Zuko tried to sink into his seat. Maybe, if he didn't answer, Sokka would miss him, and--he was thumped on the back. Zuko turned, trying hard to tell the idiot to shut up without actually saying anything, but as always, Sokka chose to ignore him. "Whoa! Look at your little clique of chicks!--Katara?! What the hell! Zuko! You're supposed to be signing documents and peace treaties, not having drinks with my sister and five other women! Toph! Ty Lee?! Mai! What is this?!"

"Li?" Jin frowned. "You mean, you _are _Fire Lord Zuko?"

"Of course he is!" Aang agreed, digging the ditch even deeper. Toph cackled lowly. "What, did you think he was some refugee who worked in a travelling circus?" Song and Jin glared.

"We did." Both girls chorused, glaring.

"How could you lie to me, Li!?" Jin huffed.

"You could've told me! I thought we had something special." Song sighed, disappointed. Zuko felt like throwing up.

"Wait," Mai hissed. "Something _special?_"

"_How_ special?" Toph questioned, her voice cold and devoid of emotion.

"_Special_?" Katara hissed.

"Wait, so how do you all _really _know Li--I mean, Zuko?" Aang asked.

All six girls crossed their arms. "I dated him, of course!"

This time, Zuko didn't refrain from hitting his head off a hard surface or to groan out loud. Why did he have to run into _all _of his exes on the same day?

Far away, in the Fire Nation palace, Azula cackled. Ursa smiled indulgently at her daughter. It was good to have Azula happy.

I was about to add Jun to the fray. But then, Zuko might not survive at all if the kick ass bounty hunter was involved.


	18. Personal List No 1 Limp

He could walk now, thanks to Katara's abilities. He could jump. He could run. He could dance. He could kick. He could do what normal guys do. He looked wistfully at the petite earthbender teaching her student. A surge of adoration and despair flushed through him. The feeling of pain intruded into his chest, a familiar guest, as he spots her punch Aang hard on the arm--her way of showing affection.

He may be able to run, but compared to Aang's steady progress, he was a mere limping fool.


	19. Personal List No 6 Crib

Azula couldn't help but notice Sokka's admirers. Everywhere they went, there would be at least one girl that was interested in him. Those were his temporary girls. She didn't mind them, although they irked her, they weren't her real competition.

Her rivals were the main girls in his life. There was that Kyoshi Warrior, Suki, that Princess-turned-Moon-Spirit, Yue, that blind earthbender, Toph Bei Fong, and there was her friend, Ty Lee. They were dangerously too close to Sokka for her to relax.

Sure, it was absolutely degrading for a member of the Fire Nation Royal Family to join a cue for one simple water tribe peasant. She was definitely not going to give in and join his crib!

...but that didn't mean she hadn't thought about it.

A/N: I looked up crib online. One of the definitions found way at the bottom of the page said that a crib can also be a cheap and poorly maintained brothel. lmao.


	20. Personal List No 10 Dead

Okay, this was inspired by a picture I saw online. I don't have the link, but basically there's a girl and a cage and unrequited love. What I got from the picture was the phrase--I made this up, btw-- "The bird he gave her died a long time ago, and she was dying too.". I think it was made by the same person who made the Seven Deadly Sins --(Lovely Art, BTW), so here goes. A sad angsty Sokkla.

No longer did she care about her pride, her dignity, or her appearance. She no longer cared about her need for power, vengeance, or prestige. She no longer cared for her life. She wept silent tears, wondering what she had done to deserve this torment.

She was the sole occupant of the prison. All the guards were charged with the sole duty of guarding her. She probably could've broken out whenever she felt like it. But she didn't. Because of him. Her cell was sparsely adorned, and unkempt. A cage sat a few feet away from her, dirty and covered with spiderwebs--it was a gift from him. It held his prized pet, Hawky.

Hawky died a long time ago.

She was weak now, and she hadn't bent in years. Even if she tried to escape, she couldn't. She had fallen in love with him, and didn't dare try and escape. She had looked forward to his daily visits, lovestruck fool that she was. His presence in her life made her optimistic and she actually liked living in her cell--it brought him to her, didn't it? Until one day, when he came to tell her, "I'll be going back to my home in the South Pole for a few months. I'll be back soon, so try not to miss me too much." She had nodded, although reluctant. It was then that he gave her Hawky. "Here, take care of Hawky for me, won't you?" She accepted the bird, and he was gone.

A month passed, another passed, and another, half a year, a year, two years, five years, Hawky died, he still didn't come back. By then, she realized, he never was. "I hate you."

The bird he gave her had died a long time ago, and she was dying too.


	21. Personal List No 28 Vengeance

A Continuation for Neither Here or There.

She eventually did escape. Eventually. After a decade, she felt a surge of emotion. Of anger, of indignity, of humiliation, and then, a need for vengeance. She embraced her life once more and swore to herself, she was going to kill him for doing this to her. When she broke out of her cell, she took down all the guards. She made sure that not one was spared. She needed to strike fear into their hearts once again.

She wasn't a lovesick fool, she was Azula. And she was to be feared.

Even if she was able to escape, and she was powerful, her situation was vastly different from before. She was on the run, and she was dishonoured, with no support. It didn't matter if her brother caught her again, or if she died. As long as he died with her.

She didn't find him in the Southern Water Tribe. No, he had married that Kyoshi Warrior, Suki, and spawned a few kids. The first night she was on Kyoshi Island was also her last. She killed him that night--in front of his wife. She left her alive, it wasn't her fault she fell in love with him. She didn't touch his children. It wasn't their fault their father was a liar and a heartbreaker.

But she burnt him to a crisp. If she can't have him, no one can.

She was selfish like that.


	22. Personal List No 11 Burn

Burn. After Exchange. After Pick. After Meeting. After Personal.

It had been a few days since they had left from the first manor house and they've been travelling without any indication of getting closer to Ursa. None of them had any idea where Azula was leading them, and Azula did not let on to what she was doing. "Where are you bringing us?" Katara had asked once.

"To my traitorous mother." Azula had answered. "Now shut up. We're almost there."

"Where are you leading us to?" Sokka asked her later, alone, when Katara was off making camp, and Iroh was making dinner. He hadn't expected her to answer, but she did.

She looked directly at him, "To my great-grandmother Ta Min's family home. No one knows about its exact location besides my great-grandmother, my grandmother, my mother, and myself."

"So, it's a female thing for the family?" Sokka asked, grabbing for the conversation with the princess.

"I suppose so." Azula said, "My mother used to bring me here. We spent a few days there together each year."

"That must've been fun."

"It wasn't." She hissed, "She thought I was a monster. And she's definitely right." The last sentence echoed around them, realizing she spoke too much, Azula clamped her jaw shut and stormed off.

Sokka stood, petrified. The anger in her eyes burned him.


	23. Personal List No 16 Creep

Creep

He shouldn't have even tried to sneak up on her. He wasn't Aang, he didn't have the ability to soften his footfalls, and he definitely wasn't brave enough to even say more than two words to her. So now, like any other pitiful boy who's too much of a pansy to talk to the girl he likes, he has resorted to following her.

Unfortunately, she was the best _freaking _earthbender out there and could _see_ with her feet. He was so screwed. "I know you've been following me for a few days now, Glider-Boy. What do you want?"

What did he want? Did he want to be friends? Did he want something more? Did he just want to talk? He had no clue. He was just completely obsessed with the girl who was just as stubborn as her element and didn't let her blindness get to her. Teo gulped and rasped nervously, "Um..."

"You are such a _creeper_." Toph laughed, and Teo felt a knife lodge itself into his chest and twist.

He shuddered fearfully as she approached. Was she going to earthbend him across the temple like she did with Sokka? Was she going to tell everyone how weak and pathetic he was like she did with Aang? She stopped in front of him, and placed both hands on his shoulders. Teo closed his eyes, here it comes!

Suddenly, he felt a warm weight on him for a split second and then it was gone. "But you're not that bad, creeper. See ya later, Twinkletoes can't exactly learn earthbending on his own, y'know." She was gone.

Teo blushed, did she just hug him?


	24. Personal List No 69 Music

Suki smiled encouragingly at her dear boyfriend and patted him on the back. "Oh cheer up, Sokka. I loved the picture." In his lap was his feeble attempt of art, a picture of her. What it really resembled was a deformed badgermole. She had deemed it a masterpiece, too kindhearted to point out that it was disgusting. Her father, on the other hand, had no qualms in doing so for her.

"Your father didn't like it." Sokka groused as he tried to smooth out the wrinkled paper. "I don't think he even likes me!" Suki bit her lip, to be honest, her father didn't like him. "Admit it, Suki! I'm just not made for the arts!"

"Oh don't be so pessimistic, Sokka." Suki rolled her eyes impatiently. She loved the boy, but Kyoshi, did he have to be so insecure?! She kissed him swiftly on the cheek. "I have to go, why don't you try acting or music instead of...drawing?"

Sokka pouted, "Would your dad appreciate me more if I was good?"

_Not likely. _Suki thought, but she smiled and lied through her teeth, "Of course, Sokka." She left without giving him an opportunity to call her back. "Why don't you perform something later?"

A few days later, Sokka had apparently mastered singing, the Sungi Horn, and the Drums, and had gone to visit Suki and her father, intent on leaving them breathless!

Instead, he spent hours walking around Kyoshi with a Sungi Horn stuck on his head, and a drum around his neck.

"Everyone's a critic."


	25. Personal List No 29 Unit

Unit

Azula stared blankly into the blue fire nestled in the palm of her hand contemplatively. Mai and Ty Lee had been placed into the prison hours ago, _--and good riddance--_but without Mai's bored apathy and Ty Lee's rambles, she was most utterly bored. Now that she no longer had her team to work with, she had to consider the possibilities of other companions to replace Mai and Ty Lee.

She'll need someone strong, intelligent, skilled, and able to work well with fire.

Immediately, a vivid image of a deadly black sword and a water tribe boy appeared to the front of her mind. Ever since she had witnessed his skill while fighting against him and her brother on top of the gondola, and after her friends' betrayal, she couldn't stop thinking about the older teen.

She closed her eyes, and imagined herself in Zuko's place, working together with him to fend off Zuko. She sighed, wouldn't that be wonderful?


	26. Personal List No 2 Mindless

Mindless

She had a focus in life when she was younger. She had been sixteen and of marrying age, and swarmed by suitors. She was beautiful, a gifted waterbender, and charismatic. She loved a man._ Horuk. _She loved her family. Kozu._ Father. _Kala. _Mother. _Jee._ Brother. _She was happy.

The Fire Nation attacked. Her father died. Her brother was captured, along with many of her comrades. Nevertheless, they fought back and drove away the unwanted Fire Nation from their homeland.

The Fire Nation attacked. Her mother died. More of her comrades were taken.

The Fire Nation attacked. Horuk died.

The Fire Nation attacked.

The Fire Nation attacked.

The Fire Nation attacked. She was the only one left.

_And she was captured as well. _

She escaped eventually, decades later, and she killed every single one of those soldiers. _Beautiful. The Moon has blessed me._

The last body fell to the ground, Hama stood, silent, ankle-deep in blood. _(There was just so much. So beauitful) _She had a focus in life before, so many decades ago. She was going to be married and have a family. Now, she was just a bitter old woman mindlessly fighting an uphill battle. But one thing was for sure, she was going to do whatever it takes to let someone else live her life. The life she could've had.

She was a mindless killer now. "And I have a part to play."

A roar came from her right, alerting her of an approaching guard. With a careless wave of her hand, he was frozen in place by his comrades' blood.

"I will play my part." She was a mindless killer now.


	27. Personal List No 15 Soldier

Prompt: Soldier

"And down he fell. Avatar Roku died, while his best friend, Fire Lord Sozin, flew away."

"And then what happened?"

"The world soldiered on, waiting."

"The Air Nomads were attacked and they were all killed."

"And then what?"

"The world soldiered on, waiting."

"The Southern Water Tribe was attacked, and many of their waterbenders died."

"They soldiered on, waiting."

"The Earth Kingdom was attacked, and many people were killed."

"But then what happened?"

"The world soldiered on, waiting."

"The Avatar was discovered a hundred years later."

"And then? Did he save the world?"

"He did."

"No more waiting?"

"No," Zuko smiled, "And definitely no more soldiers, either."


	28. Personal List No 3 Cluster

Cluster

Cluster: a group of neighboring stars, held together by mutual gravitation, that have essentially the same age and composition and thus supposedly a common origin.

Gaang: a group of wandering children, held together by mutual trust and friendship, that not necessarily may have the same beliefs and personalities but will make a common ground for them all and the world.


	29. Personal List No 19 Chant

Chant

Every time he was away from the Earh Kingdom he would chant that stupid old song his uncle had sung while they were exiled.

__

_It's a long, long way to Ba-Sing-Se_ _But the girls in the city_ _They look so pretty--!_ _They kiss so sweet_ _That you really got to meet_ _The girls from Ba-Sing-Se--!_

But whenever he's in Ba Sing Se...

"Don't find Jin. Don't find Jin. Don't find Jin. Don't find Jin."

Iroh laughed lowly to himself as he watched his nephew pace away in front of him. Zuko was such a coward. 


	30. Personal List No 30 Vanity

Vanity. Ty Laru BTW. It may not be clear.

"Sorry," He looked sheepish. "You're a little too..._vain_ for me." He walked away, leaving the pretty little acrobat shellshocked.


	31. Personal List No 17 Tie

Tie

"Why am I firebending?"

Sokka smiled, and looked sweetly into Suki's face. "I thought it would look more exciting that way!"

But really, he had been drawing Azula, and stopped halfway to draw Suki.

He just couldn't decide between the two of them.


	32. Personal List No 32 Marriage

Marriage

It wasn't like they loved each other.

"Toph, marry me?"

It wasn't like they were forced together by their two nations in an arranged marriage.

"Of course, Zuko."

It wasn't because out of their entire group, they were the only two who hadn't gone and settled down yet.

Toph burst out laughing. "Sorry! Sorry!"

He was just rehearsing his proposal for Mai.

Zuko groaned, exasperated, and laughed as well.


	33. Personal List No 22 Discipline

Discipline

"I see you've been having trouble with Twinkles." Toph commented blithely as she plopped down to sit beside him without a 'by-your-leave'.

Zuko groaned, exasperated, "Don't even _talk _about it." He grumbled to his fellow master. He had only begun teaching Aang and the boy just didn't get it.

"I'll tell you what you're doing absolutely wrong."

"What?" Zuko asked quietly, after a moment of silence.

"You're taking Sugar Queen's approach, the nice gentle encouragement garbage she spewed to me when I first started teaching Twinkles."

"But I..." He thought back to his own childhood before his uncle, full of esteemed, strict and pushy teachers. He had not appreciated it at all.

"Fire is like Earth, Princess. It's agressive and powerful." Toph snapped, thumping him on the back. "It isn't like some wussy waterbending. If you're going to get anything into that empty airhead, you're going to do it your way. Forget about being nice and gentle, got that?" Toph punched him and stalked off.

--

"NOW PUNCH LIKE YOU'RE PUNCHING THROUGH YOUR OPPONENT'S HEART!"

Aang whimpered.


	34. Personal List No 34 Never

Never

"Toph, are you going to watch Aang's firebending lesson?" Katara had asked brightly.

Toph sniffed, "I've got better things to do. You go on ahead."

"Suit yourself," Katara said, and walked out with the rest of the group.

Toph pouted, "You people never paid that much attention to Aang's first earthbending lesson."


	35. Personal List No 25 Control

Control

"My sister controls you. I don't need to associate myself with my sister's lackeys." Zuko hissed at her.

"I only obey because I want to get close to you!" Ty Lee protested, leaning closer to the taller boy, desperately trying to get him to believe her. "I can disobey her if I want!"

"If my sister tells you to stop breathing, you would, wouldn't you?" Zuko snarled, "Get away from me."

"I wouldn't, but if you told me to, then I would."

"Then do it."

--

It was only later that evening, when a passing nobleman found Ty Lee's body, did he realize that she was serious.


	36. Personal List No 54 Kill

Kill

Azula had never had the urge to kill something so strongly before.

She sat, defiantly in the open, staring at the full moon. Sokka had left a few hours ago. He didn't realize that she knew about his little thing with the Moon Spirit, but who was he trying to fool? She was Princess Azula.

"I'll kill you if you try anything, Moon Spirit or not." Azula promised, and left.


	37. Personal List No 36 League

League

It was a a peace summit hosted by the Fire Nation, five years after the war. Sokka was one of the chosen delegates to represent the Southern Water Tribe. Unfortunately for him, Han was chosen as a delegate to represent the Northern Water Tribe.

"Hello, Soulless Prick."

"Hello, Unsophisticated Peasant."

"Why can't you two be nice to one another?" Katara asked, exasperated. "We're here to represent our tribes, not pick fights with one another!"

Han snorted, "Who are you to order me around, girl?"

"Hey, don't treat my sister like that." Sokka snapped, pushing Han away from Katara.

Han was about to retort with a scathing comment but a cough interrupted them. "As charming a display that was, I would appreciate it if you would move out of my way."

"Uh, sorry, Azula." Sokka stepped aside eagerly, dragging Katara with him. A dazed expression spread across his face as Azula and her train of Dai Li agents walked past.

Han laughed at him as soon as the group was out of earshot. "Dude, you might as well give up on her while you're ahead!"

Sokka frowned, "What? What are you talking about?"

"I saw that look on your face." Han snorted, rolling his eyes, "She's way out of your league."

"Whatever, I'm not here to flirt with princesses." Sokka said loftily, trying to keep his composure...or at least find it again, "I am here to represent my tribe and promote--"

"Excuse me," A Dai Li interrupted him. "Master Sokka, Princess Azula would be delighted to have you accompany her to the formal ball this evening." Han passed out.

"YAHOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Katara sighed. So much for giving a good impression to the other nations.


	38. Personal List No 5 Touch

Touch. After Burn. After Personal. After Pick. After Exchange.

Sokka groaned and tried to sit up. He was pushed roughly back to the ground. He tried to sit up once again, but was pushed down without much difficulty on Azula's part. "I wouldn't try to get up, idiot. You're supposed to rest."

"Wha--?"

"We're at my great grandmother Ta Min's home." Azula reminded him. "You fell into the pond, you refused to dry yourself, therefore you contracted a high fever. Do you remember now?"

Sokka flushed. Why did staying soaking wet seem like a good idea at the time to him again?

"My mother isn't here." Azula answered the unasked question. "Katara and Uncle have moved on ahead to a small mining village a few day's walk away. We are to catch up as soon as you're well."

Sokka frowned, "What are you doing here then?"

"You're mine, remember?" Azula smiled coolly as she reapplied a cool towel against his forehead. "I take care of my things."

Her eyes were cool and distant when she said it, but her touch set him on fire.

_It's just a firebender thing, _Sokka thought, trying to calm his already overactive imagination down. _Just a firebender thing._

"Don't worry, I'll be sure to escape later." The warm feeling was gone as her words showered him in ice.


	39. Personal List No 20 Family

Family. After Exchange. After Pick. After Meeting. After Personal. After Burn. After Touch.

"Mother!" The scroll he had been reading was dropped, and he nearly tripped over his robes in his haste to reach the woman. The woman met him halfway, tears of joy streaming down both their faces as mother and son were reunited. Azula, Toph, Katara, Sokka, and Iroh watched on the sidelines. Azula was the first to break the moment.

"I'm going." She didn't wait for a reply from anyone nor did she give anyone the chance to reply. She disappeared through the doors, her robes trailing around the corner.

Ignoring Katara's attempt to pull him back, Sokka followed her.

"Did you see a difference?" This time, unlike all the other times they had talked, Azula voluntarily initiated a conversation with him. Usually, it took him a good half hour before she decided to talk to him.

"She seemed happy to see him."

"Oh trust me, she is." Azula shrugged. "I feel unappreciated, after all I went through to find her, she goes straight to Zuzu." Sokka didn't know what to say. Azula continued on, feigning lightheartedness, "It's to be expected of course."

"You have a weird family." Sokka finally said, "Uh, no offense."

Azula smiled at him, "None taken."

_You still didn't answer the question, Sokka. _Azula thought, her smile slowly dimming, _Did you see the difference? She treats him differently. She loves him._


	40. Personal List No 51 Want

Want. After Exchange. After Pick. After Meeting. After Personal. After Burn. After Touch. After Family.

"You're leaving so soon?" Zuko sounded disappointed. "Azula, maybe you should stay a little longer?"

"You have mother back, now I want you to uphold our end of our deal." Azula said monotonously as she walked around her brother to continue packing. "I will continue sending in monthly reports. Sokka will watch over me closely. I won't kill anyone, I won't try and rebel, I won't misbehave, I won't do this, I won't do that, Zuzu, you bore me."

"It's because of mom, isn't it?"

She froze for a split-second before she continued sifting through her closet. "Don't be ridiculous, Zuzu," She fidgeted with something inside her closet before pulling out a handful of robes. "If I want to leave, I leave. Mother has nothing to do with it."

Unlike all the other times, Zuko didn't buy it. He was sorely tempted to taunt her, but didn't. "Sokka is definitely not ready to leave with you yet. I still need him to do some things for me. I want you to wait a few weeks."

There was a silence as Azula mulled it over.

"I don't think Sokka would be happy if you pulled him away just because you wanted to." Zuko warned.

"Two weeks."

"Deal."

--

Zuko left Azula to unpack, and was immediately intercepted by Sokka. "Well?"

"You have two weeks to do whatever it is you're planning on doing." Zuko rubbed the bridge of his nose. "You're so annoying."


	41. Personal List No 55 Box

Box. After Exchange. After Pick. After Meeting. After Personal. After Burn. After Touch. After Family. After Want.

It had taken him several days to find the first manor house that they had passed by while searching for Ursa. He had gotten lost despite Zuko's careful and detailed directions. He had hoped to arrive at the manor house, find the box, learn from its contents, and return to the Fire Nation Palace within a week. Because of Zuko's crummy directions--never his crappy inability to follow directions,--he was way behind.

Hopefully, Katara and Zuko were able to distract Azula.

"WHERE IS HE?! ZUZU! YOU LITTLE LIAR! I'LL GET YOU!"

The box was a simple box made of sturdy material and had the words, 'Property of Princess Azula. Touch and Die.' written neatly on the lid. Otherwise, the box was normal enough.

His hand shook, and he sweated profusedly as his fingers wrapped itself to one side of the lid, ready to open it.

Sokka hesitated. Should he? He would be betraying her trust. And over the past few months of her alleged 'ownership' of him, she did nothing but have the servants and Dai Li--he had no idea how she got them back--obey him and pamper him. She even tolerated his quirks!

He didn't want to. He didn't have to. But he needed to.

He needed to know more about her past. Why her relationship with her mother was strained as it was. Why she closed herself off. Closing his eyes, he tore the lid off with more strength than necessary. The lid hit the wall with a light thud.

Opening his eyes, he peered into the box with unabashed curiosity. To find nothing.

"Are you satisfied?"

Sokka whipped around, "A-Azula!"


	42. Personal List No 45 Fight

Fight. After Exchange. After Pick. After Meeting. After Personal. After Burn. After Touch. After Family. After Want. After Box.

The box in his hands burst into flames. With a yelp, Sokka tossed it from him and onto the floor. He made sure the box wasn't going to set anything else on fire before looking up at Azula fearfully.

"Pity," Azula sighed, "And here I thought I could trust you to _not _go snooping into my things."

"How'd you know I was here?"

"Please," Azula scoffed, "the Dai Li do come in handy you know." Cold golden eyes trained onto him, the familiar glint of amusement that Azula usually had when talking to him was gone, "What I would like to know is why you're here in the first place, Sokka."

"I just wanted to know." It was apparently the wrong answer. She pinned him to the wall with a few knives.

"You have no right to rummage through my stuff!"

"I wouldn't have to if you'd just speak up more!" Sokka shouted back, angry and embarrassed that she pinned him.

"What do you want me to admit then, huh?" Azula shouted back, losing all her icy composure. "Do you want me to admit that my family hates me? That I found sadistic pleasure in aggravating Zuko? Do you want me to admit that my mother hates me and thinks I'm a monster?!" Her chest rose raggedly as she paused to catch her breath. She could barely see, her tears blurring her vision so much. "Oh, wait, do you want me to admit that I'm jealous that Zuko has Uncle and Mother to look out for him, that Zuko has friends? My friends all betrayed me and let me rot. My father used me as a tool! Are you happy now? Did you want to know that after my mother left, I snuck into her room and took her things--just to remind me of her? Did you want to know that I'm just a spoiled, desperate for attention, perfectionist, crazy Princess with mother issues? Well, there! I admit it! Are you happy now?!"

"Azula, I--"

She was already gone.


	43. Personal List No 52 Chance

Chance. After Exchange. After Pick. After Meeting. After Personal. After Burn. After Touch. After Family. After Want. After Box. After Fight.

"Azula!" Sokka called out, his voice echoed painfully around them. "Azula, wait up!" She sped up, and disappeared around the corner. "I...just wanted to talk." Sokka slumped, and sat down gracelessly in the middle of the hallway.

It had been a week since they had faced each other in the manor house. Azula had avoided him ever since. It was getting extremely frustrating! His work for Zuko was done and he could leave for the South Pole any time he so wished, but he couldn't just leave this thing unresolved between him and Azula. And technically, she still 'owned' him.

"You missed her again, didn't you?" Toph said as she stepped out of her own self-made tunnel and closing it again.

"You know, I don't think Zuko would appreciate you making tunnels throughout his Palace." Sokka commented blandly.

"No need," Toph shrugged, "Azula already had her Dai Li make the tunnels. I'm just using them too. Why do you think she keeps disappearing so quickly?"

"Toph, you _are_ the best earthbender in the world, aren't you?" Sokka asked, devilishly.

"Yeah. Of course I am, Snoozles. Who do you think you're talking to?!"

"Then I need you to prove it to me." Sokka said, "I know you say you're the best, but I don't know...one of those Dai Li guys look like they've got the skills to--"

"What do you want, Snoozles?"

--

It happened so fast, Azula barely had time to react. A metal cage somehow sprung up from the very earth and carried her off to the outskirts of the grounds, where Sokka was waiting for her. "I suppose you aren't smart enough to trap me on my own?" She taunted. A best defense was always a strong offense, after all.

"And I suppose you're so cowardly that you won't confront me or give me a chance to talk to you?" Sokka shot back. Azula hissed, Sokka wasn't playing around this time.

"Speak then, I'll listen."

"You're messed up in the head, demonic, evil, sadistic, one of the worst person I've ever met, and you've tried to kill me, your brother, and my friends numerous times--"

"Gee, is this supposed to make me feel better?"

"I'm not done yet!" Sokka snapped. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "But you're also the most interesting, powerful, beautiful, intelligent, brave, woman I've ever met as well. And I love you anyways."

There was a silence and Sokka opened his eyes to watch her. "What now then?" She asked slowly.

"I just want you to give us a chance."

"How about a deal?" Azula smirked slyly, leaning forward against the metal bars. "You get me out, and we'll try it." Sokka beamed.

Fin.


	44. Personal List No 35 New

The New Guy

Ever since they had met Aang, Sokka had deduced that Katara was going to marry the boy. It was destiny, Aang had once said, with googly eyes and an idiotic grin.

...no, it didn't matter that Katara babies him.

...no it didn't matter that Katara had been hot for Haru, Jet, The Boulder, Teo, and the Dai Li.

...no it didn't matter that Aang was a _vegetarian--ew._

...and no, as the older brother, he _definitely _did not have a say in this anyways. So he let the romance blossom.

But when _Zuko _joined the group, Sokka made up his mind. He was going to kick destiny in the ass, and follow his own path!

...or at least have Katara follow the path he set out for her.

He had nothing against Aang, but honestly, wimpy little crybaby vegetarian pacifist...or a decent brother-in-law in which he can talk meat and hunting and sharp pointy things with?

The new guy wins in a landslide!


	45. Personal List No 24 Picnic

Picnic

Katara would make the food with Suki.

Zuko would give himself stress by imagining the numerous ways that the affair would go completely and utterly _wrong._

Toph would try to dissuade her parents from coming.

Iroh would make tea.

Haru would twirl his freaky mustache and look _sexyfine._

  
Azula and Ty Lee would ogle said Haru-licious man.

Aang would start a pie-throwing contest, would then end up as an all out food fight.

Katara would freeze them all to their spots, and lecture them for a good twenty minutes.

It was just a typical picnic of course...


	46. Personal List No 46 War

War

Her intentions had been sincere when she told their father that he was the one who killed the Avatar and ensured victory for the Fire Nation. She wanted him to love her, or in the very least tolerate her presence.

And for a while, it had worked. Father accepted him back, he and Mai got together. They had family dinners--in which she meant Mai, Ty Lee, Zuko and herself were present--, and they talked to one another.

She knew it was stupid of her to get so attached to his presence. Everything would eventually backfire. Father would find out Zuko hadn't killed the Avatar, and it was she who did it. He would be blamed for lying while she would get away with it--like always--and he'll hate her again. Or even more.

What she didn't expect to happen, was that the Avatar was actually alive. She didn't expect for him to run away again to join him.

She felt foolish. Why hadn't she expected it to happen? He didn't feel any kind of sibling love or dedication towards him, and she just wasn't the perfect sister for him.

They were siblings on different sides of the war.

And she figured, if she can't have him as a brother, she might as well not have him.

"Can't you tell? I'm about to celebrate becoming an ONLY CHILD!"


	47. Personal List No 48 Capture

Capture the Moment

When Ty Lee and Mai left the palace in the late evenings, Azula would hide behind a large gnarled oak tree and watch her mother and her brother sit together by that turtle-duck pond.

She didn't know why she was doing it, but she stared. She stared openly without any consideration for her objects of interest. It wasn't like she cared that her mother didn't love her like she did her brother. No, she had tired of competing for their mother's love a long time ago and opted to seek out her father's--a much easier commodity to buy with power and skill.

But that didn't stop her from feeling envious.

And so, she stared at them, trying to memorize each and every detail, no matter how small. She tried to capture the moment between the two and later while she was lying in bed at night, exhausted from a day's training, she summoned up the image of her mother and her brother together, and tried to imagine herself there too.

She failed, and the next evening, she found herself staring again, trying to capture the moment.


	48. Personal List No 21 Spoil

Spoil

Although Toph put up the tough girl act extremely well, Sokka saw right through her.

He saw the slight pout that crossed her face every time Katara said she couldn't have something. _(He secretly snuck back to the market to buy those fireflakes she liked.)_

He saw the disgusted look she had on her face when Katara placed a bowl of steaming but unappetizing food in front of her. _(He left some of his own secret stash of sweets near her tent each night.)_

He saw the disgruntled look on her face whenever Katara wouldn't be quiet when she said so. _(He would find some way to distract Katara and bring her out of Toph's hearing range.)_

Despite her willingness to join them and teach Aang, Toph Bei Fong was spoiled.

And he often liked to spoil her himself.


	49. Personal List No 50 Settle

Settle

Most women would aim high and then settle.

Azula had always thought that was stupid. They would just be setting themselves up for disappointment.

She knew that she'd have to marry when she gets older, and whoever she will marry will not be decided by her.

Her father would choose a strong aristoratic man to ally with and she'll have to deal with it.

But when her father died, and she decided to grab hold of her own life.

She aimed high.

And the funny thing is, she didn't have to settle.

Sokka was just perfect for her.


	50. Personal List No 47 Battle

Battle

They were in battle. She was taking down three men at a time with one swift shot of lightning, trying her hardest to the center of the crowd. The Avatar was in the middle of that crowd, and she needed to get to him. The resistance was making a good effort in protecting their savior while his water wench tried to heal him, but no problem--she'll get through them.

"Are you sure about this?" Sokka nodded, and pushed his sister towards Toph.

"I'm sure," Sokka said once again, "Toph, earthbend a tunnel and get away from here. I'll hold her off." They were gone, leaving Sokka to face Azula.

The last man fell, and instead of the Avatar facing her, fierce blue eyes glared at her and a blur of deadly black swung at her.

"It's a pity I'll have to kill you Sokka." She cooed, deadly sweet, "We could've made such a good team."


	51. Personal List No 65 Tea

Tea

"Would you like some tea, Azula?"

The little princess looked at her uncle, and sneered. "Tea is the consolation prize for losers who lost their crowns." She sauntered off.

"Would you like some tea, Azula?"

The young woman broke down in tears, but accepted the steaming cup from her uncle.


	52. Sokkla100 25 to 30

025. Liquid

"Hey…Zuko." Sokka said, uncomfortable.

Zuko looked up from polishing his broadswords, and glanced warily at the swordsman. "What is it, Sokka?"

"…what, type of firebending can be done, exactly?"

"Fire, and lightning." Zuko paused, contemplating Sokka's question, before continuing, "And there's supposedly a way to steal someone's body heat until they freeze to death. Morbid, huh?"

Sokka chuckled nervously and thanked Zuko for answering his question, although the Prince didn't really help. He didn't feel like Azula was stealing his body heat whenever he's around. More like she turned his insides into liquid fire.

026. Mistress

"You shall all address me as Mistress Azula or Princess Azula. I expect all of you to follow my every order. If I tell you to jump, you'll ask, 'How high, Mistress Azula?' and if I ask you to run, you'll ask, 'How far, Mistress Azula?' Under no circumstances will I tolerate insubordination. Any doubt, a glimmer of weakness, and it will be weeded out. Immediately. Understood?"

Sokka watched in morbid fascination as the bunch of unruly little boys he had so much trouble with, quiver with fear. "Understood!" They all chorused.

"Perfect." Azula smirked, and shot him a triumphant grin.

Sokka pouted, not once did anyone ask for a potty break.

027. Burn

"My heart burns for you."

Azula scoffed, pushing the boy away. "Must you reuse my brother's pick up lines?"

028. China Doll

"I had a china doll, when I was little. She was beautiful, and lovely, with the most glorious head of dark hair and glowing golden eyes. I loved to dress her up, y'know?" Azula said wistfully, knocking back another cup full of alcohol. "She was the best."

"And what happened to it?" Sokka asked, taking a sip from his own cup.

"Oh, well," Azula sat up, and a cold glimmer entered her eyes. "Father burned it of course."

029. Pattern

He woke up late, he slept early, and he preferred sea prunes over meat, but meat over everything else. He favoured his boomerang, but uses his sword, he is ambidextrous but used his right. He didn't bend, but his styles looked oddly like a mix of firebending and earthbending. He was a man of silence—most of the time.

She couldn't help but notice his little quirks.

030. Flaw

Flaw. Flaw. Flaw. Every single time she glanced into the mirror, she saw mistakes. She saw cracks in the one impenetrable armour she placed around herself. Flaw. Flaw. Flaw.

She was beyond repair. She was flawed, unforgivably so.

She deserved to die.

She was flawed. An anguished scream ripped from her throat, she tugged at her messy hair desperately.

Sokka watched silently, trying not to notice.


	53. Sokkla100 31 to 40

**Chapter Four**

031. Mother

"Say it."

"No."

"Say it."

"No!"

"Azula, saying it out loud will help you deal with your problems." Sokka said reproachfully.

"I do NOT have problems!" Azula shouted indignantly, twin jets of blue flames shot out of her fists. Sokka raised his eyebrows.

"Say it, Azula."

Azula sighed wearily, "I have mother issues."

Sokka smiled, "That's my girl."

032. Steel

"So…what kind of steel is that made of?" Azula asked, trying to make some kind of attempt to socialize with the elder boy.

"Oh, uh, this?" Sokka brandished the sword dangerously close to her face. "Oops, sorry. Um…" he chuckled nervously, "Well, it's made of a meteorite."

"Unique." Azula affirmed, nodding her head. They were silent for the next two hours.

033. Lost

"Admit it Sokka," Katara sighed wearily, "we're lost aren't we?"

"I knew we shouldn't have let Sokka lead us." Zuko groused beside Katara.

Toph snickered, "I'm blind and I'd probably do a better job than Snoozles."

"Now, now, guys," Aang said sheepishly, "So we've been walking around for hours, it doesn't mean that we're lost, it's just…we've run into some technical difficulties…and stuff."

"That means we're LOST, Twinkles!" Toph snapped, pushing the boy roughly aside.

Sokka pouted and looked towards the last member of their entourage.

Azula stared at him levelly. "It's lovely out, at least." Immediately, a thunderous roar came from above and it was raining.

Azula and Sokka laughed.

034. Life

"What do you hope to achieve by staying here?" Sokka asked her suspiciously, foregoing a polite greeting.

Azula shivered, pulling her meagre coat closer to her, and regulated her body temperature to fight off the cold of the South Pole. "I should hope I'll figure that out as I go." She answered easily. "What? Not looking forward to seeing more of me in your life?"

035. Spice

"Sugar and spice and everything nice. That's what girls are made of." Sokka read from the book. Azula scoffed, garnering everyone's attention.

"Sugar and spice and everything nice. That's what spinsters are made of." Azula smiled wickedly at Sokka.

036. Filigree

It was useless to have lace trims, thin silver bracelets, gold diadems, and the like. Azula was a practical girl. She didn't need fancy decorations to enhance her beauty or get in her way.

That's what he liked about her.

037. Roots

"My great-grandfathers were best friends. But Sozin's need for power broke their friendship. Grandfather Azulon was a powerful leader, but he never had close friends and hated his wife. My father Ozai…well, you already know about him." Azula drawled, "Did you know that if you read into a person's past you can predict their futures?"

"So you're predicting broken friendships, being hated by your husband, and ending up stark raving mad in prison without bending?" Sokka furrowed his eyebrows. "That's not a very optimistic look on things."

"They can also learn from the past."

038. Insanity

Never in all his life would he have ever expected that he'd end up dating the Fire Nation Princess. He must be insane!

But then again, a little insanity is good for the soul.

039. Prism

"Azula, is like a…a…a…" Sokka glanced at his friends. "Help me out here!"

"A poisonous flower?"

"A deadly poison?"

"A dangerous moose-lion?"

"A prism?

"What's a prism?" Sokka asked.

"A prism is a medium that misrepresents whatever is seen through it."

"Then Azula is a prism!"

040. Define

Azula loved to define and then categorize people according to their usefulness and dependability. She had already categorized most of her brother's friend.

The earthbending prodigy was by far the most worthy. With her superior bending skills, shrewdness, intelligence, and loyalty, she would prove to be the most worthwhile ally.

The waterbender would be next. She was too nice, but she is also a skilled master of her bending.

Then it would be Sokka. He may be sarcastic, odd, idiotic, and plain useless at times…but… Azula flushed. He gave the most wonderful back rubs.


	54. Sokkla 100 41 to 50

**Chapter Five**

041. Beauty

When he had her pinned to the wall during the invasion, he was just so close to her. He felt her cool confidence, stared into her level gaze—and also at her cherry red lips,--and felt the muscles underneath her armour when he pressed himself against her.

But she wasn't beautiful then.

No, she was beautiful when he found her, kicking and screaming, breathing fire while still chained to the floor.

"You're beautiful." She had stopped for a moment, and looked at him. Then she was screaming again.

042. Betrothed

"Congratulations." Azula said tightly, and brushed past the ecstatic Kyoshi Warrior.

Hours later, Toph found her, "It hurts, doesn't it?"

Azula looked back at the full moon—tonight, the moon seemed extremely melancholy—and nodded, "Yes, it does."

043. Opposites

He preferred his sheets as cold as his arctic home. She preferred to have her sheets so hot that it would set them on fire. One would wonder how they'd shared the same bed for so many years.

044. Opinions

"You can't just say you're right!" Sokka screeched indignantly at the woman. "Azula! Not everything you say is right, y'know!"

The woman smiled confidently. "My opinions are just yet to be proven facts."

"Who died and made you King?! You have no right to just—just--!"

"Actually," Azula pointed to the crown that was currently nestled in her topknot. "I do have the right. And first thing's first…THE FIRE NATION WILL RULE THE WORLD!"

Sokka shook himself roughly out of his daydream and shuddered.

045. Prejudice (Follow up for #34 Life)

Sokka sighed once again, the fifteenth time that hour, and looked at his sister imploringly, "Does she reaaaaaally have to be here?"

Katara smiled nervously as she watched Azula closely. The Princess had been conversing with Kana with such animation for the past ten minutes. "Zuko said she's just trying to get rid of her prejudices and…stuff." Katara's eyes softened, "I've heard that she's really trying to change."

Sokka glared suspiciously at Azula. "I don't trust her anyways."

046. Forbidden

To Azula, Sokka proved to be the most unholy of temptations. Even when she was younger, she had always teased away most if not all of Zuko's classmates, therefore successfully ostracizing him from his peers.

But after the war, when Zuko had his friends visit, she wanted so badly to scare the water tribe boy as well. She had begun her plans when they were first introduced. A silent pleading look from Zuko stopped her. Damn her newfound conscience.

Azula watched the water tribe boy talk animatedly with her brother and their friends from her balcony, and smiled. Just because she won't intimidate him into leaving, didn't mean she can't tease him.

047. Honey

"I thought I'd find you here." Azula smirked as she regarded him lazily from her spot against the threshold of the kitchen.

Sokka whipped around to face Azula guiltily. His face and hands were smudged with a heavy coating of honey.

"Too much honey makes you fat."

"Nuh uh!" Sokka fought back, while trying to swallow the mouthful of said viscous sweetness.

"I don't like my men with potbellies." Azula threatened, giving him an ultimatum. "Get rid of the honey, or I get rid of you."

Sokka finally swallowed the honey, and looked at the no longer appetizing jar of honey. Azula had a way of making the most delicious of things bitter for him.

048. Reflections

"So, my name is Sokka." Azula's left eye twitched and Sokka flinched in answer. "And, uh…" the boy rubbed the back of his head awkwardly and finished his sentence with forced cheer. "I'm supposed to keep you company! We're going to get along fine huh?"

"Hmm." Azula hummed, and then asked, "Do be good enough to come closer. I don't bite."

Sokka inched closer. Azula, impatient with his progress—or lack thereof—reached out, grabbed his collar, and yanked him closer, making him collide with the bars of her cell. She stared into his blue eyes, and then let him go.

"I want you to continue visiting me."

She didn't see her mother in his eyes.

049. Aphorism

"Sometimes, clouds have two sides- a dark and light, and a silver lining in between. It's like a silver sandwich! So, when life seems hard...take a bite out of the silver sandwich!"

Azula stared dully back at the water tribe boy that had been visiting her for some time now, and snorted at his expectant expression. "That was worse than Uncle Tea's proverbs. Which idiot did you get that saying from?"

In utter seriousness, Sokka replied evenly. "Zuko."

Azula's laughter rung sweetly in his mind all week.

050. Silk

When Aang awoke from his little encounter with Azula in Ba Sing Se, Sokka was relieved.

When he walked in on one of his and Katara's healing sessions (innocently named, but he suspected a lot more than healing), he noticed four faint red lines across Aang's cheeks. "What are those?"

"Azula scratched me." Aang answered dully, wincing every so often under Katara's ministrations.

"How did it feel like?" Sokka asked, his curiosity taking over him.

"It was smooth, and cool. Kind of like silk." Aang answered honestly.

"But dangerous." It was probably at that moment that Sokka began developing an interest in the Fire Nation Princess.


	55. Personal List No 70 Button

It was amazing how easily Azula could piss off Sokka. One condescending look from the young woman was all it took to set him off on a rampage.

To be perfectly honest, Toph was a little jealous.

It was also amazing how Azula had the ability to calm him down as well. It was like a single look from her set off a mechanism that immediately stopped his blabbering.

To be perfectly honest, Katara was jealous.

No one else could push Sokka's buttons the way she did.


	56. Personal List No 41 Prickly

"You know Sokka," Aang said absently as he laid flat on his back beside the boy. It was a drowsy warm afternoon, and they had nothing to do. "Toph is like a durian."

Sokka snorted from a few feet away and joked, "Prickly and sharp on the outside, smelly and disgusting on the inside?"

Aang just grinned, "Nope, I just love durians."


	57. Personal List No 62 Rope

Han appraised the woman before him and sneered, "You expect me to believe that _you're _the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors?"

Suki smiled serenely, "You are correct."

Han turned to Sokka, and the other Water Tribe boy nodded. Still disbelieving, Han sputtered, "As if! Where are the men?"

"There are no men in our group. We find them inefficient." Suki explained bitingly. "Would you like a little spar then?"

Han was left tied to a tree for three hours.


	58. Personal List No 66 Bars

She was dragged kicking and screaming to stand before the newly crowned Fire Lord. She eyed the Fire Lord haughtily, one hand at her side, ready to pull out her weapon if need be.

He was the first one to speak. "What is the meaning of this? What is she doing here?"

The guard beside her bowed, "My Lord, we found this bounty hunter lurking around the--"

"Let her go."

"Wh-wh-what?! My Lord! She could be dangerous!"

"I can't put an old friend behind bars now can I?" Zuko smiirked, "Set her free."


	59. Personal List No 42 Seek

Her golden eyes were narrowed dangerously and her full lips broke into a feral grin as she backed him up into a corner. "Would you like to play a game, Avatar?"

The bald monk gulped. "The Peace and Long Life game?" He asked weakly, pressing himself harder against the wall.

"Let's play another game," Azula suggested, "Oh, I know! Let's play Hide and Seek. You'll hide, and I'll seek."

Aang's jaw dropped. "You can't be serious!"

"What's wrong, Avatar? I thought you liked games." Azula taunted. "Or, would you rather I kill you right now?"

"No! Let's play! Let's play!"

"I'll count to ten. One--" Aang was already scaling the wall, and disappeared. "TwoThreeFourFiveSixSevenEightNineTen!" Azula dashed after her prey.


	60. Sokkla100 51 to 60

**Chapter Six**

051. Prisoner

"You probably think Zuzu's the one in control, don't you?" He was in her cell, a regular occurrence these days, and they were playing Pai Sho. Sokka looked up from the board to look at her appraisingly. "You think that just because I'm locked up, I'm no longer a threat."

"Oh, you're definitely dangerous, Azula." Sokka agreed affably, sliding his piece into place.

"I'm glad you think so." Azula smiled brightly, and contemplated her next move.

052. Chances

"I'm not one to take chances." Azula warned. "If you plan to get in my way, speak up now so when I escape, I'll know exactly how to deal with you."

Sokka only smiled. "Unlike you, I like surprises."

"Then I'll make your death quick."

"Sure, sounds good to me." Sokka smiled, and got up to follow the guard out. "See you tomorrow.

Azula frowned.

053. Confessions

"I'll be gone for a fortnight, so don't break out when I'm away." Sokka said while he was on his way out.

"Why not?" Azula couldn't help but ask. It was stupid of her. He was going to tell her anyways. It was his nature to blab.

"I wouldn't want to miss the excitement." Sokka confessed. "I know you can do it."

Azula was left with unease. He knew she could do what? Kill him? Escape? Spare him? Kill Zuko? Take the throne? She shrugged, he'll be back to clarify, as always.

054. Fire

There was a lack of fire in Sokka's eyes as he looked over the Waterbenders' plans for the expansion of his tribe. He tried his best to hide the lack of enthusiasm, but it was quickly noted by all.

"It's a girl, mark my words, Hakoda." One of the men whispered to his father when they thought he was out of hearing range. "Be expecting grandchildren soon."

Sokka flushed, but maybe, he was missing Azula and her little cell.

055. Ice

He was back, but this time, his sister was with him. "Azula, I've heard that you haven't been eating while I was away." Sokka sounded mad.

"Sorry." Azula apologized, and reeled with shock and mortification when she felt that she had meant it.

The revelation left her cold.

"So, Katara's going to be checking on your health today. It won't take long. I'll be back in ten minutes or so, and…" He blabbered on happily, but she was frozen solid with shock.

056. Red

"I think," Sokka said, yawning loudly from his cot a few feet from her own. "Now that we've had our first official sleepover of uber friendship, we need nicknames for one another."

"Annoying chatterbox." Azula answered promptly.

"Ha, ha, ha." Sokka frowned, and sat up to look at Azula's general direction. She was still lying down, her back facing him. "Am I just an annoying chatterbox to you, Azula? Be honest."

After a moment, Azula answered, her face flushed red. "No, you're more to me than that."

057. Warrior

Of course, he'd expected her to escape eventually. After all, Princess Azula doesn't make idle threats. However, he was ready to defend his friends, and the world. He was a warrior. Could he be blamed then, when he was the one to move first to step in between the fallen Zuko and the fast approaching Azula?

"Leave, Sokka." He could hear Zuko whisper behind him, getting up from the ground unsteadily. "She won't kill you."

"What makes you so sure?" Sokka hissed back before brandishing his sword before her. She smiled and lunged forward.

Sokka stepped forward to intercept her attack, but he was pushed away by her deftly. Landing a few feet away, Sokka scrambled to get up, and tried to get to Zuko before she did. It was impossible.

"Azula! I love you!"

Azula whipped around. "I'm sure professing one's love to a woman so you can save her dear older brother's pathetic hide, doesn't sound as romantic as you think."

"I'm a warrior. Not a poet, woman." Sokka snapped defensively. He threw something at her, which she caught easily.

An engagement necklace.

058. Princess

"All hail Princess Azula of the Fire Nation." The cheers were loud, and to Azula, like music.

"I hope you're not planning to overthrow me." Zuko whispered into her ear from behind her.

"You know me too well." Azula chuckled, "but I doubt Sokka would appreciate my efforts in starting another war."

"Married life suits you," Zuko allowed, "I suppose."

"I'm still able to fry your ass, Zuzu," Azula taunted, before smiling to the crowd and waved.

059. Blue

"When a warrior is called to war in the water tribes, the chief would place three vertical lines on our foreheads." Sokka explained one evening, while they were lying in bed together. Azula had expressed an interest in his peoples' culture and had asked him oh so nicely to teach her. "It represents the blood of our enemies and the power that runs through our veins."

"That's funny," Azula commented, raising her palm, where a tiny blue flame flickered in her palm. "Blue was always the colour of power to me."

060. Cold

"Lightning is the purest essence of firebending," Azula paced before a small petite girl, "and it is the most powerful weapon in a master firebender's arsenal." Azula stopped in front of the little girl, squatted down, and grabbed the girl's shoulders, "And soon, it will be yours."

Sokka knew that Azula had changed, but the way she spoke, the way she instilled her beliefs into their child…he couldn't help but feel a cold shiver climb up and down his spine.


	61. Tokka100 No 42 Hate

042. Hate

Sokka regarded the small Earthbender like a man would while trying to decide whether to approach a raging moose-lion. She was obviously miserable, and after a few years travelling with their friends, he knew that Toph tended to lash out—trying to spread the misery, he supposes.

Nonetheless, he approached, "Toph, are you okay? Katara—"

Under the dozen furs that were wrapped around her, she managed to pull one arm free to signal him to shut the hell up. She shivered and pulled the furs closer. If she could see, she probably would've crucified him with her glares.

"I'm freezing, Snoozles." Toph sighed, "Why did Sugar Queen and Twinkles have to tie the freaking knot here of all places?"

Sokka smiled weakly, "Oh cheer up, Toph. It's not so bad! The snow is really pretty—"

"Yeah," Toph agreed, "If I can actually see it—"

"And there's lots of open space—"

"—covered with ice, and snow, and there isn't one inch of earth for me to walk on—"

"—and the food here is delicious!"

"—says you." Toph snapped. "To be perfectly honest, I hate your home. This barren icy wasteland is worse than Gao Ling and Ba Sing Se combined."

Sokka frowned. The prospect of Toph hating his home burned, so did the engagement necklace in his pocket.


	62. Sokkla Week Eyes

Eyes

Eyes

"What do you see?" He asked her lowly, her hand was nestled in his. Her pale and cold hand contrasted against his tanned warm one. They really needed to give her more blankets. She'll catch her death in this miserable prison.

"I see death." Her answer was barely above a whisper, but he heard her. _I see __**my **__death._

"Are you happy?" He asked weakly. _Are you going to live? _

"When I die." She exhaled shakily and glanced at him meaningfully. "I will be."

Sokka got up and left, the sight of golden eyes glowing in the dark will be forever etched into his mind.

_She was not meant to be here. _

He smiled as he passed the grim guard. Her execution was tomorrow. She'll finally be happy._ Will he be satisfied with his life without her? _

He looked forward to a lifetime full of nightmares full of blue flames and golden, golden eyes.


	63. Twenty Things

Aang

This was supposed to be Aang-centric, but it ended up more Taang than anything else.

Arrow:

"Aang, what do you look like?"—It had been days since Toph had asked him, out of the blue, while they were travelling together. They had been travelling for years together, and it had been the first time she had ever asked him of his appearance. A few days had passed and he still had not found a way to describe himself to her yet. It had been pretty simple, until he started with his tattoos. "What do you mean, _arrows_, Twinkletoes? Can I feel?" It all went downhill from there.

Laugh

Part of being an air nomad, was to be free--to have the freedom to laugh, and play, and live, and to just _be. _When he met Toph Bei Fong, he felt a small part of his air nomad spirit wither away and die. She certainly didn't feel like laughing, and neither did he. How could her parents just chain her away and hide her potential? When she had run away with them that night, as she sat silently on Appa, she burst out laughing. Katara and Sokka didn't get it—but he did. He laughed with her.

Pai Sho

"I win!" The triumphant roar was too loud, and a still sleeping Sokka protested from his sleeping bag. "I win!" Aang groaned and slammed his head against the giant Pai Sho table. He had been playing Pai Sho since he was a toddler! How could Toph—who he had taught a mere few days ago—beat him so thoroughly?!

Games

"What do you _mean_, you've never—I don't—wow, Toph! That's _wrong_ in _so_ many—ugh!" The rest of the gAang stared at the Avatar and his Earthbending master in question. Toph shrugged back at them. The Avatar let out another frustrated growl. "We're going to fix this right now!"

"Fix what?" Zuko dared to ask.

"She's never _played _a _game_ with _friends _before, Sifu Hotman!"

"…Neither have I." Zuko dismissed. A scream echoed around the Western Air Temple for days.

Yellow

"Yellow, is a nice, bright colour. It's the perfect colour to raise a happy baby!" Aang protested. His wife was adamant. "It's going to be green or nothing, Twinkles."

Blue

Blue was always a pretty colour to Aang. It reminded him of his favourite Pai Sho piece, the yummy filling in the fruit pies he and Monk Gyatso had made, and of the sky. That notion was soon reinforced when he met Katara, his first love. But now, as he held Toph, entire body chilly and wet, and saw the once soft pink lips now a deadly ice blue, he thought otherwise.

Red

Green was never the true colour of jealousy for Aang. Green was a tenacious colour like those of weeds, a stubborn and prickly colour like the pines of the forest. Green was also the soothing washed out green that was the colour of Toph's eyes. When he saw Sokka wrap a cheery arm around Toph as they both laughed at a joke he told, he saw red.

Rain

She was out in the rain, and she was getting soaked. During their escapades in their youth, he had never noticed that she loved going out in the rain, no she seemed to hide away in her stone tent more often than not. But now, after everything had calmed down and there was no war, she had made a habit of taking walks in the rain. She had explained, "The rain makes the ground wet and I can't feel the vibrations very well, so I had to stay in the tent and keep watch. But now, now…"

"Now what, Toph?" He prompted gently.

She grinned, "The rain almost lets me _see._" She goes on and tries to explain, but he didn't quite understand. He nodded anyways, too enthralled by the smile she wore as she talked than anything else.

Sleep

Aang was a desperate little boy. He had had a little too much of dinner and dessert last night and had gotten a much too bloated stomach to fall asleep. He had been tossing and turning all night. He had still not been able to fall asleep. He was so frustrated that he was going to cry. _Wouldn't that be a sight? _He thought to himself.

It was a little before dawn. It was dawn and he had nothing to do. It was dawn and he should be training. It was dawn and no one was awake…yet. He edged towards Katara, but thought better of it. She had spent most of her night healing Toph's burnt feet. He edged towards Zuko, and thought better of it as well. A few days with Zuko and he already found out that the former prince woke at the crack of dawn, not _before. _He looked at Toph's earth tent…and thought, should he? He groaned as he imagined what Toph would do to punish him. It gave him too much of a headache. "I need more sleep."

It seemed like the earth was finally soft enough, whether it was because of his extremely high level of exhaustion, or because it was just plain soft, as soon as he shut his eyes, Aang had fallen into blissful sleep. Unfortunately for him, less than two minutes later, the earth tent deconstructed itself and heavy footfalls were heard heading towards him. "Earthbending Twinkles!"

Zuko had also gotten up. "Firebending starts now!" Aang just groans in his sleep and tried hard not to cry.

Age

"That's just so…_wrong._" Toph shrugged as her friend, Aang shivered beside her. "Come _on, _Toph, he's like, what?—twenty years older than her? He's old enough to be her father!" Toph sighed. Aang had been going on and on for ages now. She regretted inviting him to her cousin's wedding once more. She felt Aang shudder as the bride kissed the groom once more.

She slammed a palm—thankfully; it was clean.—against his mouth to silence the young man. "Twinkles, if you haven't forgotten, _you're _old enough to be my great grandfather, are you suggesting that we—?"

"No absolutely not, Toph!" Aang said in apparently seeing the light. "Age is but a number. The bride and groom go so well together."

"I think so too, Twinkles."

History

"How do you think we'll go down in history?" Aang had asked to no one in particular as they all lay in one line, watching the stars.

Zuko snorted and answered blithely. "Fire Lord Zuko." There was a silence. "And the Avatar's master, of course."

"Chief Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe, Master Swordsman." Sokka boasted.

"Katara, Master Waterbender." Katara said. "The Avatar's Waterbending Master."

"Of course, Twinkletoes," Toph said confidently. "Toph Bei Fong, the greatest Earthbender in the world and the Avatar's slavedriver." Aang winced at that. "But…" Toph said softly, "We're friends. And we're happy."

"Yeah," the group chorused.

"And we're going to kick that Melon Lord Ozai's ass."

Fire

When he had burned Katara, he felt awful. He was guilty, and ashamed, and scared, and terrified, and he was at a complete loss at what to do to comfort Katara and ask for her forgiveness. Katara had cried and things just weren't _right _with them for a few days.

When Toph had been burned by Zuko, Toph had also cried, and he also felt scared, and terrified, and helpless, but he also felt anger, indignation, and resentful towards the exiled Prince. But unlike Katara, he daren't try to go all mushy on Toph. She just needed a shoulder to lean on as she fell asleep by the fountain, her feet ankle deep in the cool water.

Air

One thing he didn't like about earthbending was the fact that he had to stay so close to the ground. He always tried to slip kicks or leaps into his bending only to be firmly and thoroughly scolded by Toph. "You're an EARTHBENDER, Twinkletoes, not an AIRBENDER! You stick to the EARTH!"

Aang didn't say anything, but he swore to himself, one day, he's going to take Toph gliding, and make her love the air as much as he did. He didn't know why it was important to him, to have Toph feel comfortable with his element, but it just was.

Life

"What are we going to do now?" Toph had asked the silent group as they all sat together, having a picnic in the gardens of the Fire Nation Palace a few days after the war ended.

"I suppose I'll have to continue on with my Avatar duties…" Aang said reluctantly.

"I…think I'll return to the Southern Water Tribe and help out." Katara said.

"I'm going to Master Piandao's to train under him." Sokka said, as if it was obvious.

Zuko shrugged and pointed at his nice shiny crown. "What do you all think I'm going to do?" He asked rhetorically. They all looked at Toph.

"Well, I sure as hell am not going home." Toph said, defiantly crossing her arms as a fierce scowl settled upon her face.

"You can travel with me!" Aang suggested.

"Keep peace and negotiate treaties with me?" Zuko implored pitifully.

"Help design some things with Teo and The Mechanist." Sokka suggested. "I've got some great ideas!"

"You can help Uncle Iroh with his tea shop back at Ba Sing Se." Katara commented. "You like him."

"I think I'll stay with Twinkles." Toph said after feigning a moment's contemplation. Life without her goofy little pupil seemed oddly bleak to her. She blushed, "I mean, he does lead the most adventurous life out of all of us."

Hope

Aang had a problem. Toph was mad at him. "Toph." No response. "Toph!" No response. "TOPH!" No response. "TOPH! SPEAK TO ME PLEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASE!" He pounded pitifully against the stone tent that served as his master's bedroom. He could've easily earthbended the door down and slide in, but he just wasn't ready to be shot out just as fast, followed by an onslaught of rocks.

"What do you want, Twinkles?" Was the muffled reply.

"Why are you ignoring me?"

"No, now get out of my area. I don't want to talk to you." Toph snapped. He walked away, defeated. He hoped that she would talk to him about it in the next month or so. He hoped.

Youth

Call her vain, but she was definitely aging. Sure, she was blind, that didn't mean she was completely oblivious. Sure, she didn't _see _the alleged gray hairs, but she was old now! She's heard enough of the other women in the market talk about how their hair was greying! Sure, she didn't see the crows' feet around her eyes, but she could _feel _the wrinkles, and the slightly saggy skin. She could feel the ache in her bones as she got up. She glared sightlessly at the mirror in front of her. "I miss my youth, Twinkletoes." She moaned at her husband.

"Youth is overrated, Toph." Aang said lovingly from behind her. "You're beautiful."

Avatar

"I'm the Avatar." He said it again. "_I'm _the Avatar." And again. "I'm the _Avatar!_" He said it countless more times, as he lay in his bed that night in the Southern Air Temple a century before he met any of his friends. "I don't get what's the big deal." He said, disappointed.

Shampoo

"Katara! Where's my shampoo! I _need _my shampoo!"

"_Yours?!"_ the Waterbender was heard shouting back at her brother, "Where in the world is my shampoo!"

There was a faint burst of heat and the sound of something burning fiercely. "I know one of you dunderheads took my shampoo! And I am going to _incinerate _the idiot who took it!" The three began to squabble amongst one another from their various stalls.

"I'm sorry to bother you—guys—I really—hey! I'm talk—look, I won't take long to—I'm trying to—GUYS! GUYS! LISTEN TO ME WHEN I'M FREAKING TALKING TO YOU! THIS IS IMPORTANT!" Everyone paused and there was a silence as Haru continued on from his stall, "I want to know which one of you took my shampoo."

"WE DON'T KNOW!" Three voices chorused. Sokka scowled, "Damned pretty boy, Haru."

"Forget about you four!" An all too familiar and definitely female voice snapped. The volatile earthbending master stomped along the stalls, pulling the curtains open as she passed. Katara barely had the time to grab a towel before a visage of a towel clad Zuko met her on the opposite side. "Which one of you ninnies took my shampoo?"

"Wait…Toph…you…wash you _hair?_" Katara questioned dubiously. Toph shrugged, she was not going to admit that it felt nice. She swished her loose wet hair. "But you don't wash your _body?" _

"Look, Sugar Queen, this is _serious." _Toph snapped. "_Someone _was stupid enough to take _my _shampoo. Do you know how expensive it was?—Unlike yours, of course."

"Hey," Zuko protested, "Mine was specifically made by the royal—"

"Excluding you, Hothead."

"Oh boo hoo, Toph." Katara retorted, still miffed that she was almost completely exposed to Zuko thanks to the blind girl. "So now what?"

"Easy, we're going to find that blasted idiot and rip him to shreds!" Toph roared. Everyone else nodded in satisfaction and more than a bit of anticipation. "Now, where—"

"Hey guys, I found this really nice smelling stuff in your bags and I washed our clothes with it. I kinda used it all, but I'm sure we can find some more in the next village." Aang said cheerfully, as if talking to towel-clad and soaking wet people was a daily occurrence. He showed them the empty bottles of shampoo. Haru shrieked.

"My SHAMPOO!"

"Um…Is that alri—guys…why are you staring at me like that?" Aang asked, backing away. "What's shampoo? Toph, put the rock down—AH!"

Rubble

There was nothing but rubble as far as the eye can see. A sense of panic set in his stomach. "Toph! Sokka! Zuko! Katara?!" There was no answer. He jumped from the high perch he was on, and began to earthbend everything away frantically while calling out his companions' names. The final battle was destructive and wild. He had tried to keep track of where his companions were throughout the battle, but he had lost control. "Please, please, please be okay." He prayed.

A movement was seen out of the corner of his eye. He immediately lunged towards the moving pile to quickly unearth Zuko. "Are you okay?" The boy nodded and began to look around. He immediately began to dig once more. There was a shifting of earth and Toph and Sokka practically erupted from a hole nearby. Toph deposited Sokka's unconscious body beside Zuko.

"He's okay." Toph said, "Twinkles, you—" She was interrupted as a triumphant cry came from Aang and he was then too busy hugging a half conscious Katara. Toph frowned and wanted to bury him in rubble.

Weight

It was unbearable, the weight of carrying to world's fate on his back. But gradually, his friends would help him out. Sokka, would encourage him with a customary 'manly' slap on the back. Katara would hug him. Zuko would offer him awkward yet encouraging words. Toph would always just be there, calm, silent, and always quick to act. Somehow, that weight wasn't so unbearable anymore.

* * *

**Chapter 2: Yangchen**

* * *

Yangchen

Yangchen

Pretty much clips of her life. They don't feature her too much in the show.

Curtains

When she was younger, before she was discovered as the Avatar, she was carefree and happy. She liked to hide underneath tables, play games with the other girls, she sung songs, she danced, she played Pai Sho with her master, and she drank tea—loads and loads of tea, but it all changed when she read about Earthbenders, Waterbenders, and Firebenders. She was almost sixteen. She had been in her room, trying to imagine punching out and setting the curtain on fire like a real firebender.

She did.

Name

"What's your name?" He had asked her brightly. He was her waterbending teacher. She should show respect and appreciation. She merely shivered, and wrapped her meagre clothes closer to her.

"I'm too cold."

"Well, Too Cold. It's a pleasure to teach you." She couldn't help but smile…just a little bit.

Four

"Four coppers that I can!" Yangchen shook her head at the stubborn man, just as stubborn as his element. He held up four coppers between his five fingers, brandishing them at her face.

"I am an air nomad, and therefore, I do not have any worldly possessions." Yangchen began with unending patience. "Furthermore, I do not gamble."

The man scowled at her. "You may be a good pupil, but you're an awful prude." She looked miffed for a second before sliding her hand into her other sleeve and pulled out five coppers. His teacher grinned. "That's more like it, Yangchen!" She couldn't help smile shyly at his approval.

Perfume

"Um…here, I thought you'd like this." She had finally mastered earthbending and was going to move on to the Fire Nation soon. Tor had invited her for one last meal with her before he "never saw her prissy prude face again". She looked down at the vial of liquid that swished around in the pretty amber container and back to her master. He blushed faintly, embarrassed. "Just for you to remember me by, I suppose—and don't pull that, air nomads do not have any worldly possessions thing again."

She smiled, "Thank you."

Money

"I usually don't train people unless they had money to pay me." Said the haughty fire nation noble, a supposed master. "but since you are the Avatar, and you're such a beauty—" She whirled around and walked away. She could do better than this master.

Books

It had been a year since she had turned away from the Fire Nation noble, and she had yet to find a new skilled Firebending master to teach her. She suspected that the noble had something to do with it. So, she had opted to learn from books, but no matter how much she studied the pages, it just wouldn't compare to the help of a private master.

Champion

"And now, may I introduce you to our reigning champion! Azura!" The cheers were deafening. And as she watched the other woman take down men three times her size with her firebending, she knew she had found her master.

Meat

"What do you _mean _you don't eat meat?!" Azura demanded hotly, leaning over the table to peer into her face. Yangchen had approached her shortly after her last match (she won), and asked to treat her to dinner. "I can't have a pupil who doesn't eat meat! Even the meat here eats meat!"

"So you'll agree to be my master then?" Yangchen asked, it was time that she mastered her last element and head home. She hadn't been there for years!

"Oh, sure, only if you eat meat." Yangchen frowned. "Just once."

"I'm sorry, but it is against my beliefs and—"

"Agni," Azura sighed, weaving a hand through her brown hair. "Just kidding. I'll teach you, just stop squirming already."

Curiosity

She was in really tight and really revealing Fire Nation clothing. She never felt so exposed and insecure. Azura scowled. "What are you doing? Stop tugging at your clothes!"

"But they're so…" Yangchen protested. "They're so exposing! Why am I supposed to wear this?"

"Right, right, Fire is hot. Fire benders are naturally hot. Therefore, we wear as little as possible when firebending." Azura said quickly, "and it doesn't help that there are loads of active volcanoes around here. So are we going to get started or not?"

Yangchen bit her lip and tried not to let Azura's words get to her. She was just simply curious.

Friend

Azura smirked and leaned closer towards Yangchen and inhaled. Yangchen snapped her eyes open. "What are you doing, Azura?"

"You smell nicer today." She commented. Yangchen rolled her eyes. "And don't think I didn't see that. Concentrate, Yangchen!" The airbender didn't even bother disguising her groan.

A silence.

"But really, you do smell nicer. Are you trying to impress _someone_, Yangchen?" Azura teased her pupil relentlessly. "You can tell me you know. I am your friend."

Yangchen blushed. "It's just the perfume I got from my friend, Tor."

"Sounds like an Earth Kingdom name." Azura hummed contemplatively as she adjusted Yangchen's stance a little. "So, is he hot?" Yangchen toppled over.

"He's just a friend!"

"Just like me right?"

"Exactly!"

"Just remember to send me my wedding invitation." Yangchen could feel steam coming out of her ears.

Ear

When she was finally allowed to return to the Western Air Temple, more than ten years have passed and most of her friends had met male airbenders from the other temples. She sat in meetings with the elders daily, only stopping for a bit to sit outside for a few hours to take her tea and play Pai Sho with her friends.

Her heart filled with longing as she watched her friends chat and talk about their children with such joy. Her heart pulled at her even more as she watched her friends drag their disobedient children by the ear, lecturing them sternly. She realized, that she wanted to have an ear to tug on and a child to lecture as well.

Head

Yangchen used her head. If she wanted a child, she'll have to get married. To get married, she'll have to meet a man. To meet a man, she'll have to travel. She called for her bison, and picked up her glider. She tucked the vial of perfume she still hadn't finished using and a change of clothing and headed out.

Feet

As soon as her feet made contact with the earth outside of Tor's home, she was immediately sent flying into a tree. Or would've if she handed airbended her way down gently before sending a great wave of water into his face. "What are you doing here?!" The voice seemed loud and unwelcoming, but the smile that greeted her told a different story.

"It's good to see you too, Tor."

Child

They were married soon after, and she was soon with child. "Earthbender."

She glared. "Airbender."

"Earthbender."

"Airbender."

"Earthbender."

"Airbender, and that's final." Tor pouted.

Leaves

Just like the leaves that blew so gracefully away by the air, their first child's first breath and last breath was blown to the wind as well. Their little daughter was too frail and didn't survive the night.

Sugar

She was inconsolable at the loss of her child. Many nights, she spent beside her child's grave, crying bitterly howling miserable, only to have the wind carry her cries of sorrow away. Tor tried and tried to cheer her up, but there was one thing that the rough and down to earth Earthbender didn't do well as opposed to his mastery of earth, was comforting women.

One night, inspiration struck. He crept up from his bed and slaved away for hours until the early dawn to make her a fruit pie. Yangchen ate it, to appease his efforts and worry. But as soon as he turned his back, she gagged silently and reached for water. He had forgotten to add sugar. Still, she couldn't help but smile at his efforts.

Bitter

Many bitter tears have fallen over the next several years as they tried and tried to give birth to a child. Eventually they gave up. Maybe they just weren't destined to be parents.

Triumph

The earth shook, and the wind howled in triumph as finally, finally, she missed her flow. They were old now, well, older than most couples when expecting a child, but she didn't care. They were happy and all was well.

Tears

She cried when little Yang Po was in her arms for the first time after a night in labour. Her long awaited child. Those were happy tears. She cried harder when Tor held them close from her bedside. They were a family.

Sew

After years of wanting a child, she had opted to wait it out by sewing little outfits for children that she thought she would never have. Now, she had a son—a strong healthy son—to wear them for his lost sister.

A.N. Not as long as Aang's but c'mon. At least I did something for poor unappreciated Yangchen!

* * *

**Chapter 3: Zuko**

* * *

Zuko

Zuko

A bit of Toko, and a bit about family.

Brain

"Use your brain, _stupid!_" A high-pitched sneer made him glower.

"I'm not stupid, 'Zula." Zuko tried not to glower openly at his little sister.

"You wouldn't be if you'd use your _brain, _Zuzu." Zuko forced himself not to say anything. "That is…if you have one." The little girl ran off snickering, and Zuko set his calligraphy brush on fire in his anger.

People

"People see my scar and they turn away from me." Zuko admitted lowly to the little blind girl sitting comfortably in his lap.

"Well, some people are just too blind to see what a nice guy you really are, Princess Hothead." It was ironic that the little blind girl said it.

Pineapple

"What's wrong with you?" Katara asked. "Don't tell me you went through the bushes and found some strange plant that makes you break into hives and—"

"Katara," Zuko rasped, clawing at his back desperately. "What did you use to make dinner?"

"Why?" She demanded defensively, "Are you blaming me for this?"

"No…it's just—" He sighed and glared at her weakly, "please."

"Well, I _did _use the pineapple—" Zuko groaned. "_What?! _I didn't poison you! It's just pineapples!"

"I'm allergic to pineapples."

Stairs

"Toph! Hold on!" Zuko sighed silently as everyone stopped. Please, Zuko prayed, don't let her start this again.

The little earthbending girl sighed, but out loud. "What is it now, Sugar Queen? I'm _trying _to go to bed."

"Since Zuko did _burn _your _feet, _I figured that—"

"Look!" Toph snapped. "I know you people don't like him, but don't you _dare _use me as a way to attack him like this. My feet are healing and they are going to be _fine!_"

Katara bawled her fists and steamed, before she could say anything, Zuko got up. "It's alright, I'll carry her up the stairs." Normally, he would've given anything for anyone to stand up for him—even if being defended by a twelve year old girl was as unmanly as it can get—but he would rather sleep peacefully and let it all slide. He'll regret it in the morning, but oh well.

"Yeah, you better." Katara snarled. "After _all _the trouble you've caused—whoa! TOPH!" Zuko couldn't help but snicker silently to himself as he caught sight of Katara neck deep in earth. "Let me out!"

"No!" The volatile Earthbender snapped. "You're going to stay in there until you grow up and snap out of it! Princess Hothead can very easily stay back in his fancy palace in the Fire Nation but he's given everything away to _sincerely _teach Aang firebending. He doesn't need your attitude!" Zuko lifted Toph up wordlessly from her spot at the bottom of the stairs. "Aang! Haru!" Both boys snapped to attention. "Don't either of you dare try to break her out. If you do, I'll trap both of you in metal cages!" Both boys gulped.

"Thank you." Zuko said quietly, almost inaudibly while he carried her up the stairs.

"No problem, Princess Hothead."

Stable

He had never expected to not only befriend Toph Bei Fong, the steadfast and extremely loud earthbending master of the Avatar, but slowly, they had formed a family connection. He was the brother that looked out for her, and she was the sister that he had always, always wanted. One that wouldn't turn everything into a damned competition—although she was extremely competitive (he's got the bruises to prove it), one that didn't try to upstage him and make him feel horrible, one that didn't lie to him, one that could take a rough and tumble and speak what she wanted to say. She was someone he could trust, and she could trust him as well. When he asked her why she had chosen _him _as a brother, she answered, "You were stable. You were always there. You might not always be there for others, but you were always there for me." _Just like a brother should be. _

Metal

The first time he was aware that Toph could bend metal, was when she trapped Katara into a metal wrap and rolled her around the temple for three hours during one of their nastier fights. Zuko couldn't help but fall in love with her then and there.

Oranges

"Hey, Zuko, why are you picking oranges?" Zuko grimaced and tried to ignore the Water Tribe boy and hoped madly that he would go away and leave him in peace. Unfortunately, not many things Zuko wished for ever came true. He also hoped that Sokka would fall in a ditch somewhere, so it was fortunate for Sokka that Zuko never got his way. "Zuko?"

"No reason, Sokka."

"Are you sure?" Sokka asked suspiciously. "I was quite certain I heard Katara say she would love to have a cool glass of orange juice. And somehow, I find _you and Aang _here picking oranges." Zuko flushed but picked faster after hearing Aang's name. "I hope you know that I don't approve of you at all! You're not good enough for my baby sister, and if you…" Sokka continued to blabber, but Zuko didn't bother to listen. As if he was interested in the perpetually always pissed off Katara. Toph had wanted some oranges to eat before bed. That's all.

Noise

When Azula was little, before she had discovered her sadistic streak, she had been a nice little girl who Zuko loved to adore and play with and talk to. Now that they were older, all those fond memories of happiness and brotherly-sisterly love were forgotten. They were on the opposite sides of the war, a war that his side won.

But on cool nights after the war, Zuko would lay in bed, remembering those times again. He missed her. He missed the excited noises she made when they hid together away from their frustrated mother and her attendants. He missed the gleeful noises when they played together, when they laughed, and that one time when they had fallen into the pond and disturbed the turtle-ducks, scarring them beyond repair. But what he missed most of all, was when Azula would sneak into his room at the stroke of midnight to sleep with him, curl up beside him, just because she heard a scary noise outside her bedroom window.

Clear

"Princess Hothead, are you in?" She whispered in a dramatic hushed whisper. "Target A has entered the inner sanctums of the temple and is no longer in range. Begin operation—"

"Toph. I'm. Right. Here." Zuko groused moodily.

Toph sighed. "Way to ruin the suspense, Princess Hothead."

"You were saying?" Zuko said, trying to get a move on things. He and Toph had been squatting behind this cramped spot for Agni knows how long, and he was hungry for that damned fruit pie!

Toph sighed and grumbled about finally getting a willing follower only to have him complain about the tiniest little thing. "The coast is clear. Go grab it and we'll eat it outside."

Zuko nodded and made a dash for it. What wasn't clear to him, was why they had to wait for what was probably hours huddled together in a cramped spot, when there were so many openings.

What wasn't clear to Toph, was why Zuko still didn't get that she was interested!

Water

The cheerful laughter of Sokka, Suki, Katara, and Aang were getting louder and louder as the day wore on. "CANNON BALL!" Aang cried out as a large splash was made in the water. Yes. They were at the beach. Again. To throw another beach party. Again.

Everyone was having fun. When they _should_ be practicing and training for the big battle, Zuko groused angrily, as he picked up a handful of sand and let it sift through his fingers easily. Everything was having fun, besides him. He looked to his left. And possibly Toph.

"So…" Zuko began. "You don't like water?"

Toph shrugged. "I can't swim. I can't see in water." Another silence. "You…don't like water too?"

"I'm a _fire_bender." Toph nodded.

"Water is overrated anyways." They both said simultaneously.

Powerful

When she was asleep, and vulnerable, he often had trouble imagining her in battle. Although he had seen her teach Aang, and had heard a lot of stories about their adventures before him, he still had trouble reminding himself that she wasn't just a blind little girl that so happens to be able to earthbend—no, she was _the _greatest Earthbender in the world. It still didn't help that she was now curled up on his stomach, snoring peacefully.

Mother

"Toph! Here, I got you some—" Aang was promptly shoved aside.

"Hey, Toph, you want some help with—" Sokka was earthbended knee-high to the ground.

"Toph, be careful with that—" Haru was shot back and landed in the fountain with a thud.

"Zuko," Katara glared. "Go carry her, we have to move into another part of the temple. And since _you're _the one who—"

"I DON'T WANT TO BE MOTHERED!" Toph snarled. "I'm just fine!" But regardless, Zuko lifted her up, and Toph didn't protest. "Thanks, Mama Zuzu." Zuko grimaced.

Fear

"I'm afraid of a lot of things." Zuko admitted one stormy night while inside of her stone tent. A loud roar of thunder echoed outside and the tiny Earthbender tightened her hold around his waist. "I'm not." Toph protested. Zuko merely held her closer.

Blood

Another agonized scream rang out into the hallway. It was followed by another, and another. Bright golden eyes twitched and looked at the groups of official looking men surrounding them. They were probably all wondering when Princess Ursa would deliver the child. Zuko resisted the urge to cover his nose from the smell of blood that wafted up to him. He had always had more acute senses. Out of the corner of his eye, Zuko spotted his uncle making his way towards him. "Good evening, Prince Zuko. Are you looking forward to the baby?" Zuko nodded sullenly, and winced when another shriek from the birthing chambers were heard. _No, uncle. _He wanted to say. _All I can smell is blood. _

Green

Azula always did look intimidating in the crimson red robes of Fire Nation nobility, so Zuko allowed himself to be a little afraid, chalking it all up to the red robes. When he saw her again in the rich green robes of an Earth Kingdom woman, he also felt fear strike him. He had no excuse then.

Sugar Queen

"So…what's with you and Sugar Queen?"

"Sugar Queen? Who's that?" Zuko asked grouchily as the Earthbender invaded his personal space.

"You know, Katara."

"I think you need help with your nicknames." Zuko snarled moodily. "She's more like Evil Water Witch from the Fiery Depths of Hell."

"…you are so screwed, Princess Hothead."

"What?" Zuko asked, nonplussed. "It's the truth."

"Evil Water Witch from the Fiery Depths of Hell, am I?"

From behind him, he felt the presence of said witch, and heard the slowly swirling water from the fountain. "Eh…hi…uh…Sugar Queen?"

Hate

Bright gold eyes clashed with hazy ones. "I hate you." The female of the pair smirked but did not respond. "I hate how you manipulated me, tricked me, lied to me, took father away from me, and I definitely hate—" He cut himself off.

Hazy eyes lowered themselves slowly before looking back at him with intense longing. "Hate what, Zuzu?" Her whisper was barely audible, before she slipped into dark oblivion to join their father in hell.

"I hate how you're dead." Zuko felt a tear run down his cheek. "I hate myself for it."

Bribe

"Please don't tell her." Katara grinned maniacally as she loomed over the former Prince's hunched form. "Please, please, _please_, don't tell her Katara." She stayed silent and waited for the three blessed words. "I'll do _anything!_" Perfect.

"It'll cost you." Zuko gulped and looked back at the band of velvet green in his hands. So he couldn't sleep without a bit of Toph with him…so what? "Well?" Katara demanded coolly. "I'm sure Toph would like to know why you were stealing her headband." Zuko sighed. This was so embarrassing.

"What do you want?"

Dark

"Wow, it's so dark in here!" Zuko whispered, awestruck and a bit uneasy. "I can't see a thing." Even through the darkness, he could feel three glares aimed at the back of his head. _What did I do this time? _

"Well," an almost bashful voice interjected as he felt a small hand slip itself into his larger one. "I'll lead the way then." There was a shocked silence and Zuko couldn't help but like the darkness.

Passing

Even though he was busy with many activities and matters to secure his reign and support his country, Zuko always made time to visit his uncle's tea shop in Ba Sing Se every few weeks. "You're back again, Fire Lord Zuko?"

The young man smiled sheepishly before donning an apron. "I was just passing through."

* * *

**Chapter 4: Azula**

* * *

Azula

Azula

A bit of 'what ifs', family, and friendship!Toph, and Sokka.

Tradition

It was tradition for a Royal Princess to have a marriage arranged for her as soon as she was one year old. Fire Lord Ozai had different ideas. She was going to be his way to glory. Now, fourteen years later, in her room at the mental institution her brother had sent her, she wondered. Would it have been any different if she hadn't caught her father's attention and had an arranged marriage? Would she have been sitting by her brother's side like a loving sister instead of hated enemy? She wouldn't know. Her father had broken tradition one too many times.

Role

As Princess of the Fire Nation and heir apparent to her father's esteemed throne, she had a role to play. She was going to be the stoic perfect princess. She was going to be steadfast, powerful, beautiful, and ready. When Zuko was banished, and Uncle Iroh went with him, she was hurt but didn't show it. Her role did not permit her to feel like that. When she was sent to capture her uncle and her brother, she did so obediently, such was her role. When Fire Lord Ozai shot a stream of lightning at Zuko's back, she didn't know why she dove in between them, but she did. It wasn't her role to play, but she did it anyways.

Air

She was alive for some reason. She didn't bother to open her eyes, there was too much pain. She took one deep breath and felt her entire body quake. Air had never been so painful.

Future

"The future would be a whole lot better without you." Azula sat sullenly, leaning heavily against the wall and tried hard to ignore the blathering and hopelessly loud Watertribe boy. "I don't know why Zuko even bothered saving you. Oh big deal, you jump in front of him to save him from lightning. One good deed won't erase all the awful ones!" Azula couldn't help but nod. She had no future anyways. She belonged to neither side, and she was going to die anyways.

"For once, you're right you pathetic excuse of a warrior." Azula hissed, while she tried to push herself more against the wall. "I have no future." She couldn't help but let another tear fall. She angrily wiped it away. The rest of their time together was silent until the Waterbender and the Avatar took his place.

Faith

"So…what do you think?" Zuko asked quietly as he fell in place beside the Waterbender. "How is she?"

"Have a little faith, Zuko." Aang said reassuringly. "She'll recover. Katara did a great job."

Katara frowned. "She's not trustworthy. What are you going to do with her once you take the throne, Zuko?"

"Have a little faith, Katara." Zuko repeated Aang's answer and stalked away silently.

Follow

"Good morning Zuzu." Azula greeted her brother, her icy golden eyes noting every move he made warily. "Come to finish me off, have you?"

"Azula—"

"I completely understand." Azula lied. She had saved his miserable life after all. "You want a secure reign anyways. I wish you luck. I--"

"Why did you do it?" He asked. Azula clamped her mouth shut and glowered. "Well? Why did you do it? Father would've made you Fire Lord! Why did you save me?!"

"You're awfully ungrateful." Azula said, blowing her uneven bangs from her face, only to have them in the same position a moment later. "But since you asked so nicely, I'll tell you. I didn't want to follow anymore."

Zuko frowned. "Follow?"

"You figure it out, Zuzu."

Learn

"My name is Katara."

"Nice to meet you Ketari." Azula said coolly.

"My name is Sokka."

"Nice to meet you too, Sokki."

"My name is Aang."

She frowned. "Hello Avatar."

"I'm Toph."

"The Earthbending Prodigy," Azula smiled sincerely for once. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Toph." The rest of the group grimaced. How come Toph was the only one who had her name pronounced properly? "Well, Zuzu, if that's all you wanted me to do, I'm done learning. Carry me back to my room?"

The Gaang sighed. After a few weeks with Azula around, it still unnerved them. They'll have to learn how to deal with it.

Build

"She's incredibly rude isn't she?" Sokka groused as he poked the dying fire with a branch.

"No, she's just fine."

"Your name is the only one she got right!" Katara snapped and continued on with a poor imitation of Azula's voice, "The Earthbending Prodigy, It's a pleasure to meet you, Toph. Pfft, as if I'm not a master."

"Guys, guys," Aang tried to keep the peace. "Azula doesn't mean any harm."

"And you! Aang! She called you Avatar!" Katara screeched.

"I'm sorry about 'Zula." A tired voice sighed.

"Zuko!" They all chorused. Katara wasn't one bit guilty about trash-talking about his sister. "What's with her, Zuko?!" She demanded.

"She doesn't deem any of you worthy of her time besides Toph." Zuko explained apologetically and regretted telling them that once he saw the affronted looks on his companions' faces. Toph smiled smugly. "Sorry guys, but can you be a bit more patient? She still needs to build her peoples skills."

Forget

"So, you learned from…badgermoles?"

"Yeah." Toph said as she lay flat on her back on the floor. Zuko had suggested that each of his friends spend an hour or two a day with Azula to get used to her. Oddly, Toph and Azula were the only ones who hit it off right from the start. "You?"

"The best Firebending teachers in the world." Azula answered. "Your way seems a lot more interesting. Badgermoles huh…I thought they lived in caves."

"They do."

"How could you see anything then?" There was a silence. Azula had the decency to flush. "Er…forget I said that." Toph laughed.

Prissy

"I swear you look great." Azula reassured the smaller girl sitting on her bed. They had moved to the Fire Nation Palace after a few weeks of camping out at the Western Air Temple. "Don't move, Toph!"

"I feel so…ew." Toph grimaced as she tried to stay completely still while Azula experimented on her with her make up set. "Why did I ever agree to this?"

"You took pity on my neglectful and traumatic childhood." Azula said breezily, firmly holding Toph's chin and applied an even layer of lipstick to her lips. "You look wonderful."

"I can tell if you're lying, so don't you even dare."

"I am a cross-dressing komodo rhino with sparkly fairy wings. I secretly have a mad affair with the Avatar and I want to leave the Fire Nation to serve tea with my crazy Uncle Iroh."

"You got me there." Toph sighed. "So, how do I—"

"You look splendid." There was a knocking at the door. "Oh, well, it's that Ketari's turn to watch me now. Bye Toph." Toph grumbled and jumped off the bed, opened the door, and stalked past Katara.

"Azula?" Katara asked, "You do realize Toph's going to kill you when she realizes she looks like a prissy princess right?"

"But she's blind." Azula smirked. "Isn't that right, Ketari?" Katara fumed.

Annoy

One person that Azula looked forward to spending her hour with more than Toph and Zuko—he had been adamant to seeing her even though he was buried in Fire Lord duties—was Ketari's brother, Sokka. Or as she would call him, Sokki. He was just so easy to get riled up. It was exhilarating to annoy him so easily. Sure, the idiot could come up with some fairly decent ideas, but he really needed to keep his cool. Azula smirked with triumph as she heard Sokka scream in utter annoyance.

Kill

"Hey, do you want to sneak out tonight to go to that festival? You know? Just spend an hour…or two there?" Azula raised a brow at the stuttering usually confident and cynical man before her. "I—uh, I already asked Zuko if I could bring you out to catch a bit of fresh air. Yeah, I do know you go to the gardens and stuff, but you haven't been out of the Palace in months, and—uh." He trailed off and flushed.

Azula smirked. "Are you done?" He nodded. "Good, I'll meet you here an hour after dinner. I figure I've got some time to kill."

Inflexible

Azula was an inflexible sucker when it came to schedules. She would do everything she wanted when she planned and it was always like that. She would get up at dawn, practice her firebending, eat, spend time at the library, eat, meditate, practice without firebending, eat, relax at the gardens, prepare for bed, and go to bed. Each day was exactly like the next with only little or even no variation.

So when she was heading to the library one day, she did not expect one water tribe idiot to run smack straight into her, grab her hand, and drag her at breakneck speeds the _opposite _direction of where she was going. "What the hell are you trying to do, oaf!?"

"Chill out, Princess." He grinned. "You're way too inflexible. Have some fun once in a while. I like schedules as much as the next crazy task manager, but doing the same thing every day has got to be bad for the soul."

Suffer

The day before Zuko got married to that evil Waterbending witch—it was ironic in itself that _she, Azula, _thought that Katara was evil—he had sat down with her outside near the turtle-duck pond and _talked_ about it and about their future. Their relationship wasn't so strained as it was before, but they weren't close. "'Zula, I don't want our family to suffer." He said, his mismatched eyes glittered empathetically. "I don't want our children to be fighting for the throne like father did with Uncle, and with us. I want them to be happy and—"

She slapped a hand over his mouth. "I know, Zuzu." She sighed. "I don't want any of us to suffer." She stood up and walked away slowly. "But don't hate me when I hang your damned kids from the ceiling. Dirty cretins." Zuko smiled.

Creatures

"They're absolute monsters." A rough hand tugged at the end of his warrior's wolf tail in frustration.

"It's worse now that Toph's with them." Azula sighed mournfully and offered the man opposite her more fire flakes. He took a handful.

"Didn't you try and hang them off the ceiling?" Now it would be strange that two bitter enemies would spend an afternoon sitting together talking quite affably without swords and fireballs being brought out. But after a few years after their sibling's marriage, they had gotten used to one another. After a few spawns of Zuzu and Katara was born, they bonded and were rarely seen without one another.

"Ketari caught me." Azula admitted. "Then she had a fit, and Zuzu got all fussy, and then I decided that those _creatures _weren't worth it."

"If I knew what abominable creatures they would bring into the world," Sokka sighed, "I would've never approved."

Azula scoffed. "I'm thinking of fighting back."

"You can't attack them with swords and explosives, Azula." Sokka admonished. "I've tried."

"I meant, if Zuzu and that Water witch."

"That water witch is my sister, Azula." Sokka warned.

"Right, right." Azula said dismissingly, "I apologize. As I was saying, if Zuzu and Ketari can make their own little monster army of five atrocious little creatures willing to wreak havoc on the world, who says _I _can't create an army of firebending prodigies to fight against them?"

"You make a lot of sense. But—whoa!" Sokka was pulled by his shirt front and brought down to face Azula, barely an inch away from her own face.

"So you're going to assist me." Azula grinned maniacally. "Lose the pants."

Marriage

"Marry me?" It was abrupt, and it was right after a drowsy afternoon tumble in Azula's favourite guest room, and both participants were slowly drifting off to sleep. Azula immediately sprang to attention.

"_What?_"

"Look," Sokka said defensively. "If you don't want to then just say so." He pouted. "I got you a necklace though." He turned around, giving Azula a nice view of his broad back, and grabbed something out of his discarded pants. It was a betrothal necklace, a crystal blue pendant with the symbol of the Fire Nation and the Water Tribe on it, hanging off a blood red choker. Azula stared. "Aren't you going to say _anything_?"

"Fine, if you want me to say something so badly." Azula drawled. She raised a brow. "Aren't you going to help me put it on, Sokka?"

Time

The entire court and all of their acquaintances did not ever expect their engagement at all. They were surprised but didn't really think much of it when Katara and Zuko got together.

"Hey, they've got this steamy love-hate relationship going on. Anyone could see it." Toph would explain when anyone asked why she wasn't surprised at all. But she surely did not see the sarcastic, meat-loving, and suspicious, anti-Fire Nation Sokka to propose to the stoic, conniving, and downright evil Princess Azula of the Fire Nation. But they somehow got together.

"Sokka is out of his mind, give him a bit of meat." Katara swore, "and he's bound to snap out of it."

"Someone, get the Royal Physician." Zuko demanded, "My sister has become terminally ill and has fallen in love with that bumbling idiot."

"Give them some time," Aang had said sagely. "and anyone could fall in love. Isn't that right, Toph?" The Earthbender socked him.

Sick

"You two sicken me!" Toph roared with anger and barely suppressed need to destroy half the house. Fire Lord Zuko and his friends and family had decided to take a two week trip to Ember Island. Toph had practically pounced on the prospect of spending time with both Sokka and Azula. She had imagined fun, chaos, and destruction, rule bending and breaking beyond anyone's wildest dreams. Instead, she found her two newlywed friends going all goo-goo-gah-gah over each other. She shook her head in disgust. "That's so sick!"

Chocolate

The court was in an uproar. Princess Azula was pregnant. They fussed over the Princess, they fussed over her food, they fussed over what she wore, they fussed over what she said--they fussed over everything! Azula took everything in stride. Sokka however, didn't.

"AND STAY OUT!" The man roared.

It had gotten so bad that the only way he ever got any peace was when Azula agreed to spend the rest of her pregnancy at the South Pole.

"What do you _mean _you don't have any chocolate here?!" Azula cried. She stormed out of her grandmother-in-law's igloo, stalked past the playing children, past the women, past the Waterbenders practicing, and found Sokka with a bunch of his friends. She short a flaming burst of fire at his feet.

"What's wrong, Azula?" He said easily as his friends all edged away nervously.

"There's no chocolate. I won't stand for it." Azula said stonily. "It's either you get me chocolate, or I _incinerate _you."

Game

"You think this is a _game?!_" Azula demanded angrily as she paced in front of her triplets, two boys and one girl. They were five now and were ready to begin their training. Sokka stood off to the side with Hakoda. After the birth of her children, Azula had somehow grown fond of the icy temperatures and decided to stay there.

"Koda, Kovu, Nala." Each child straightened up when their name was called out. "Your cousins are weak little snots—yes, Koda?"

"But, mama, Auntie Katara said—"

"You should all be happy and play nice, yeah, yeah." Azula waved it away like a bad smell. Although she had agreed to promote family peace, she didn't exactly promise Zuko that her kids won't wipe the floor with his monsters. Sokka snickered. "Do you know who your mother is?"

"Fire Nation Princess, Master Firebending Prodigy." All three kids chorused.

"And do you think prodigies just jump out of the sky and master everything?"

"No!"

"Exactly. So, you're all going to practice your forms until sunset!" Azula snapped. "Except for you Nala, you can rest. Since you're the only one who _did _the routines." She sent a dirty look at her boys. They grinned back sheepishly.

"Mommy," Nala said admiringly up at the older woman, "daddy said that you like to play games with Uncle Zuzu."

"Games?"

"Yeah," Nala grinned, "the…um… 'I have to destroy my sibling in every way possible without killing them' game."

Azula's lip twitched in amusement. "I love that game."

* * *

**Chapter 5: Ty Lee**

* * *

Ty Lee

Ty Lee

The Circus Freak, the Kyoshi Warrior, the Wife of Haru, and Mother

Nice

When she first met him, he was just so damned nice. Maybe that was why her little interest in the Water Tribe boy died so quickly it seemed like Azula's lightning struck it in the heart. Or maybe it was because that Haru was so damned hot.

Paint

Ty Lee never admitted it to anybody, but she loved the Kyoshi Warrior's face paint. If she'd had her way back in Ba Sing Se, she would've worn the paint even when she was asleep, but then Azula and Mai would've mocked her for it. Maybe that was why she joined the Kyoshi Warriors after the war.

History

Her history with Princess Azula and the Fire Nation was long, tedious, and too boring and painful to bear. So when her children asked her why she knew so much of the Fire Nation, she laughed, "I read the history books of course, silly. I'm a Kyoshi Warrior, not some Fire Nation nobleman's daughter."

Laughter

When flocks of boys would just find her while they were in a party always brought laughter to her. Mai was right, she loved the attention. She loved being singled out. She loved it all. But when almost all the boys in the vicinity flocked to her, she caught the eye of the one that didn't. And she didn't feel like laughing anymore. It irked her that the gentle Earthbender didn't want to be near her too.

Time

Haru was wise when it came to dealing with women. Ty Lee was no exception. She wanted his attention, and she wanted to be chased. And damn her she made him want to chase her too. But he knew better, he was going to have her and he was playing for keeps. All it would take would be a little planning, a little lying, and a lot of time.

Wink

Ty Lee never felt the need to rip out a fellow woman's hair before. As a rather vain girl herself, she prided her hair and would've died before she ripped out another woman's hair willingly. Those were the days before she met _him. _Yes, him. The flirtatious little unfaithful womanizer that dared ignore her for that little floozy from the Southern Water tribe. What agitated her even more, was that every so often, he would look up and wink at her.

Whisper

Katara feigned a giggle as Haru leaned forward to whisper, "Giggle right now, Katara. You're doing awesome."

"Awesome?" She whispered back mischievously. "So you mean having a hole at the back of my head is an expected part of your plan?"

Haru nodded before looking up and winking at the woman that was currently flocked by boys. He saw her flush with anger and bent low to whisper something else into Katara's ear.

Work

Ty Lee had decided to take a little break from all the Kyoshi Warrior-ing and travel. To travel, she'll need money, so maybe it was a coincidence or pure fate that she ended up in the growing village of Ty Ron Pai, where she ended up working for Haru. "How in the world did you find me here, Ty Lee?"

She grinned up at the man, "All in a day's work, cutie. All in a day's work."

Push

When it was time, she pushed. She pushed and she screamed, she cried, and she threatened and cursed Haru to the fiery depths of hell, but after it was all over, she regretted not pushing faster, regretted not pushing harder. She took too long and now that she had that crying swaddled bundle of joy in her arms, she regretted not bringing him into the world faster to unite them as a family. She kissed her baby's cheek and promised to push faster next time. At least a couple more kids were needed before their family was completed.

All

When Ty Lee tried to do something, she either did nothing or she gave it her all. When Azula told her and Mai to follow the Water tribe siblings back when they were trying to drill through the walls of Ba Sing Se, she didn't do it more so of her fear of Azula than her need to give it her all. In the end she lost, but she knew she tried.

So when she started pursuing that complete hunk while working for his mother in the village of Ty Ron Pai, he never stood a chance.

Nothing

"What do you miss the most back in the Fire Nation?" He had asked once while on their date. Ty Lee merely smiled at him and said nothing. She didn't miss one thing from the Fire Nation.

Torment

She was aware that when they were little, Azula loved to torment her and Mai. She was a mere nobleman's youngest daughter against a Princess. She had to suffer from burnt clothes, bruises, and charred hair most of her childhood. Such was the price of playing with fire. But when she saw her kids being tormented by the other village children, she wish she could do something about it. So she did—against Haru's objections, but she did. She taught them how to block chi. No one dared to torment her kids ever again.

World

Ty Lee wanted to see the world and travel. She wanted to be special and be different. She wanted to meet people that would think of her as an individual person instead of a matched set. She wanted to be someone's entire world. She joined the circus in hopes of meeting that someone. She didn't.

She joined her friend, Azula. And found him. It was ironic that she travelled the world as a circus acrobat and found no one, and when she travelled the world under Azula's wing, she found the man she loved.

Peace

"Father, wouldn't it be wonderful if the whole world is at peace?" Ty Lee had always been an optimistic child. It unnerved the old general turned nobleman.

"Of course, Ty Lee," he said. "When the Fire Lord destroys all those other savage nations and bring them under the Fire Nation rule." Ty Lee frowned, that wasn't what she imagined peace to be like at all.

Lies

Azula was always lying to someone, somehow, and somewhere. Mai would dismiss everything and tell the truth only when she wanted to and when _she _felt like it. Ty Lee, on the other hand, could never lie. She couldn't lie to herself, she couldn't lie to anyone. But she couldn't believe herself when she did. "So, do you like that Haru fellow?" Mai had asked out of the blue.

"Like?" Ty Lee forced herself to laugh. "No way." _I love him. _

Need

When their relationship hit a roadblock, Ty Lee decided to move away from Ty Ron Pai and back to Kyoshi Island. It was the most catastrophic break up ever experienced by the village, full of blocked chi, earthbending, and crying children. A month of sulking in her old room in Kyoshi Island didn't make her feel better, instead, she felt a raw need to be back with Haru.

He felt the same, and they met one another again on ships, his was going to Kyoshi, hers was going back to Ty Ron Pai.

Thanks

One thing that Ty Lee did every night before going to bed, was give thanks. She didn't give thanks to the Spirits, or anything, she gave thanks to Fire Lord Sozin. It may seem odd and morbid, Fire Lord Sozin was the one that started the entire war and brought pain and misfortune to the world, but if it wasn't because of the war, she doubted that she'd ever be a Kyoshi Warrior or Haru's wife.

Comb

He had followed the traditions of her nation's customs. When he proposed, he presented the most beautiful comb made by himself for her as a token of his affection. She cried and accepted it and wore it until her wedding day as tradition says, but she much would've preferred to receive a bracelet like Earth Kingdom girls. She hates her Fire Nation heritage.

Hair

"Mommy has pretty hair." Ty Lee preened. "But daddy's is much, much more prettier." She pouted dourly. Upstaged by a man.

Cinderella

"And don't come out until everything shines!" Her elder sister, Kua Mei yelled viciously down at the miniature version of herself. Ty Lee sniffled and nodded. The door slammed and left her in darkness. Dutifully, little Ty Lee would mop the floor, thinking of a ball, a lovely gown, bright future with a prince and a castle and loads and loads of children for her to love. She was her own little Cinderella.

A.N. It was supposed to be Katara, and then Ty Lee, but I really don't have anything good to say about Katara.

* * *

**Chapter 6: Mai**

* * *

Mai

Mai

A lot of Zuko, Friendship!Ty Lee, depressing childhood, and Azula.

Corner

When she was a little quiet girl instead of a grown quiet woman, she had loved to stand in the corner behind curtains to eavesdrop on the adults' affairs. She knew that her mother would've never approved, but she did it anyways. It was probably her own weird way of rebelling against the woman. Even as a woman, she loved to stand in corners and just wait. It was a habit by now and nothing and no one could lure her out if she didn't want to be found. "Mai, are you coming to dinner?"

Mai quickly stepped out of the shadows, "Coming Zuko."

String

She was always led like a puppy on a string. Whether it was by her prim and proper, yet manipulative mother, or by the cynical and cruel, yet equally if not more so manipulative Princess Azula. She swore to herself, one day, just one day she'll take out one of her sharp stilettos and snap the string and separate herself from them. And she did. The day she left home and never returned even after the war was over separated her from her mother. The day she saved Zuko and helped him escape from her Uncle's prison separated her from Azula. But the hold Zuko had over her heart, no amount of cutting would ever separate her from him. Not that she wanted to either.

Rose

Unlike her husband Zuko and all firebenders, she did not rise with the sun. Whether it was literally or metaphorically. She was quiet, serene, and dark much like the night and the moon. She rose with the moon, like the Waterbenders. They were opposites in that regard and in their temperaments, but that was probably why they made such a great team.

Towel

A most vivid memory of her childhood was when she was training with her master's son, also a knife-wielder. She had only been learning from her master for a few months, but she was already considered a prodigy. So when her master's son challenged her, she accepted, confident of her skills.

Her friends, Ty Lee and Azula had come by too watch. Both combatants were at the same level, which irked the boy who had been training for years. Instead of depending on his knives and stilettos any longer, he opted to use his sheer size and superior strength. "Give up, Mai!" She still remembered Ty Lee scream out before covering her eyes. "You'll get hurt." Mai shook her head and looked at Azula, surely the princess had something to say to her too.

"Don't you dare throw in the towel so early, Mai." She won in the end, and Azula smirked at her triumphantly. She smirked back.

So it wasn't so much of a surprise when Mai found herself visiting Azula once a week at her psych ward. "Why are you here?!" Azula had screeched at her, delirious with anger and paranoia. "Get away from me!"

She had slapped her and stated coolly. "Don't you dare throw in the towel so early, Azula." She left to a silent room.

Calendar

"A calendar?" Mai looked at her boyfriend, confused. "Why in the world are you giving this to me?" Zuko's smirk merely grew. "Well?"

"I knew you needed it."

"…what?" Mai narrowed her eyes on him. He smiled this time and gave her a warm kiss on the lips.

"Happy Birthday, Mai."

Mirror

"You look just like your mother when she was your age." Little Ursa preened at the compliment, but Mai rolled her eyes. "I bet you'll grow up to be just like Lady Mai, wouldn't you, Ursa dear?" Ursa nodded enthusiastically. Mai hid her grimace like the politician's daughter that she is. Later that night after the party, Mai brought Ursa into her rarely frequented Fire Lady's chambers and sat with her in front of the vanity.

Two uncannily similar faces were shown in the mirror. The same pale skin, sharp aristocratic features, the same dark eyes, the only thing different was the unimpressed expression on Mai's face, and the giddy one in Ursa's. "You are nothing like me." She said coldly to the mirror. "You're Princess Ursa, I am Fire Lady Mai. Don't try to be like me, don't try to look like me, don't try to think like me or speak like me or act like me!" Mai could see the tears welling up in Ursa's eyes. She kissed the little girl on the forehead before letting her off her lap. "You'll understand when you're older, Ursa."

Adult

"Now that you are officially an adult and of marrying age," the stern woman lectured as she paced the floor like a general commanding his troops, "it is time for you to assume the responsibilities of an adult woman." Mai nodded absently while eating her fire flakes. "Therefore, it is time for you to marry." Mai nodded absently. "I assume you've brought that little man of a Fire Lord up to scratch?" Mai gagged on her fire flakes. Somehow, becoming an adult didn't sound as fun as it did when she was little.

Jealousy

Sharp knives were embedded in an odd Zuko-like shape with pinpoint accuracy around said man. He was stuck on the garden walls and was currently cowering in fear from her girlfriend's wrath. "Jin, Song, Katara," She read off a list, "Toph, Fa, Lian, Yun, Min, Ling-Ling, Su, Ting, Mei, and Mei-Rai." Narrowed eyes glared at the man. "You have a lot of explaining to do, Zuko."

Zuko cursed his uncle for keeping a list of his past love interests. What was the man thinking?!

Apple

She still remembered the weight of the burning apple on her head and the not so unpleasant feeling of having Zuko on top of her. In a ritual, ever since Zuko had been banished, she took to balancing an apple on her head while walking around the turtle-duck pond every visit she made to the Fire Nation Palace. In a tribute to the embarrassing moment between them.

Baby

"Baby, I love you."

Mai flushed with embarrassment and pushed Zuko into the pond. "Don't call me baby, you idiot."

Bed

"Go to bed, Zuko. I don't want to see your womanizing face right now." The list of his oddly long love interests was still at the front of her mind.

The repentant man stayed silent and Mai glowered at his eerily pathetic silhouette shown through her curtains. "Not until you hear me out."

Mai sniffed, "Go ahead and freeze out there then. Good night, Zuko. _I'm_ going to bed." Neither one of them got a wink of sleep that night.

Balloon

"I feel like a balloon." Mai complained, even more miserable and depressed than she normally is. "I look like one too. I _am _one!"

Zuko, still not in the formal robes of the Fire Lord, wrapped an affectionate arm around her middle, and kissed her cheek. "You're beautiful, my balloon."

Bridge

The first time that she met Ty Lee was at the Fire Nation palace. Their parents were all invited to celebrate Fire Lord Ozai's birthday. She had been told to run off and make some friends—(political connections)—and she had been bored of the lack of attention paid upon her darling person and had subsequently run off.

"My name's Ty Lee. What's your name?"

"Mai." She said coolly. The girl beamed brightly and hugged her without a moment's hesitation.

"I can tell that we're going to be the bestest friends ever!"

"Idiot," A cool voice said behind them. "Bestest isn't a word." The both turned around to see another girl. "I'm Princess Azula."

That was the day they met Azula as well.

Bride

Ty Lee had dreams of being a happy bride. Azula dreamed of being the Fire Lord. Mai dreamed of being an exciting life with Zuko. She never realized she was going to be the Fire Lady, and least of all, a mother.

Broken

"Dear, I'm so happy for you." She was crooned at, "You're going to make the most splendid Fire Lady. Isn't that right, my lord husband?" Out of the corner of her eye, Mai spotted her father nod uncomfortably. "Now, my lord husband, don't you have things to attend to?" Her father quickly left.

"What do you want to say?" Mai sighed, "Whatever it is, say it fast, say it and leave."

"Fire Lord Zuko is strong if not naïve and overly trusting, you can easily manipulate him and—"

"I won't have him broken and dull like you have father. I don't marry boring dunderheads." Mai pointed at the door. "Now leave." Her mother left without another word.

Lost

Sure, she had followed Azula until the point of helping Zuko and his merry friends of do-gooders escape The Boiling Rock, but that didn't mean she was going to be excused from all the wrongdoings she had done when she was still under Azula's wing.

While in prison, she feared that all was lost. Her relationship with Zuko, her rank as a pampered nobleman's daughter, maybe even her freedom and life. But when she was presented to her trial before Fire Lord Zuko and his Uncle, she saw him smile at her. "Lady Mai of Shin-Tsai Family is hereby excused from all her crimes and pardoned."

She smiled back. Maybe all wasn't lost after all.

Hair

"And a little bit here, and this here!" Mai felt like her poor head was going to just melt away. Her scalp had been tugged this way and that for more than two hours under Ty Lee's relentless ministrations. "Oooh, Mai, I'm so glad you asked me to help you! It's just like the good old days and we had tea parties—" Tea parties that she was reluctantly dragged to. "—play dates with Azula—" Play dates that her mother forced her to. "—and those dress up games!" Mai scowled. "Ta da! And I'm done with your hair! Let's move on to make up!" Mai immediately ran to the closest mirror, and inspected the damage. She let a sigh of relief. It actually wasn't so bad. "Thanks, Ty Lee."

Uncle

She may not love her father—a soft and gentle man completely manipulated by his wife, no he was too much of a fool to be loved, she may not love her mother—that scheming bitch, and she definitely did not love her annoying drooling waste of oxygen of a brother, but she did love her Uncle, the Warden.

He was the one who gave her a bone-crushing hug every time he visited—which was rare, unfortunately—and gave her sweets, and gifts, and good advice. He was the one that encouraged her to practice her choice of weapons, and encouraged her to smile. In her mind, family did not mean mother, father, and brother. Family meant Uncle.

Death

When she died, she had whispered, "I'll meet you in our next life. Don't be late." He nodded and cried.

Life

"Agni!" Prince Zuko II cried in frustration as Mai swept past him without bothering to look at him. "Avatar Aang, why doesn't she like me?"

Aang, now aged and grey just smiled. "It'll work out Zuko. Your great-grandfather had the same problem with Fire Lady Mai."

Zuko sniffed, "Nonsense, Fire Lord Zuko could have any woman he wanted. He's _my _great-grandfather after all."

Aang laughed, life goes on.

A.N. Mai's chapter is here, and I still haven't finished Katara's. Oh well.

* * *

**Chapter 7: Jun**

* * *

Jun

Jun

The total bad ass bounty hunter needs love too! And a bit of family.

Wife

Her father had a wife. Her mother was a wife. Her mother was not happy. Her father didn't make her mother any happier. Jun decided that she isn't going to be a wife.

War

"War, Jun." Her father had said to her when she was barely ten. "Isn't so bad, it brings in good business." Jun nodded, but she didn't understand. Mother had said war was bad.

Dress

Her mother had always wanted to dress her up and make her look pretty and feminine and cute. Her father thought it was ridiculous. "She's going to be a bounty hunter! A good one at that! She doesn't need no frilly lacy dress, woman!"

Fear

She didn't fear many things, she didn't fear danger, she didn't fear thugs, she didn't fear pain, she didn't fear loneliness, but she did fear loss. That was probably why she fled the town she had been in when the young man she had grown to love proposed.

Orange

One of her favourite memories she would always treasure from her childhood was when her Father had finally wrangled her from her mother's overprotective grasps—if not only for one day—and he taught her everything she ever needed to know about being a bounty hunter. Meeting certain orange-furred Shirshu was fun as well.

Opportunity

Sure, it wasn't normally done, but hey, her team won the game right? It was a legal move. She thought to herself as she listened to her mother lecture her for playing so rough. "And what have you got to say for yourself, Jun?"

The girl shrugged, "I saw the opportunity, and I took it." She grinned at the rest of her team, "Isn't that right, guys?" They cheered.

Sorrow

She was aghast with the display of terror and grief as she grabbed the fallen man and hoisted him and herself onto her Shirshu. "Be strong, Li Ming, be strong." The man whispered loudly to his wife, who was staring at the scene before her.

"Ling!" She screamed, "Please, don't take my husband away. I—I know he hasn't done many good things but—" She signalled for Nyla to move out wordlessly. "Ling! LING!"

Many years after the encounter, she didn't remember how the man looked like, or how his wife looked like, she just remembered the look of utter sorrow in her eyes.

Betrayal

When she first started out as a bounty hunter without her father, she had planned on meeting a companion. She wanted someone to share her ideas and her adventures with. But when the handsome man she had met a few weeks ago left in the middle of the night with all her money—she decided all she needed was her trusted Shirshu.

Mother

"What are you staring at pipsqueak?" The little girl—barely reaching her knees—stared back at her with glowing tear-filled eyes. "What, do you need to go to the washroom? Thirsty? Hungry? Tired? Spirits above, what is it?!" The girl sobbed. Jun rolled her eyes, knocked the girl out before she got any louder with her sobbing, and tossed her onto Nyla's back. This was the last time she accepted contracts from _mothers. _

Ribbon

"You look beautiful." Her mother cooed into her ear as little Jun sat grouchily in her seat, waiting impatiently for her mother to be finished with arranging her hair into a suitable hairstyle. "There, all done. Now have fun with your friends."

Jun slid of the seat eagerly, "Yeah, sure, mom." Her mother thought she was going to have a little tea party with the girls down the street. As soon as she stepped out of the door, she tugged the ribbon from her head and used it to pull her hair up in a tight ponytail. She was actually going out hiking with their elder brothers.

Vegetarian

It was after the war and Prince Pouty had invited her to share a dinner with his merry band of do-gooders. As thanks, he had said. Never one to pass on some free food, she had accepted. What she thought was a hearty meal was just a few measly vegetables—albeit very good vegetables in very rich broth and sauces, but—"Where's the meat?" she wrinkled her nose in disgust.

The water tribe teen opposite of her sighed loudly, "Finally! Someone who understands me!"

"Aang's vegetarian." His sister explained. Both she and the teen glared at the little Avatar.

Sun

She didn't like the sun. It was bright, it was hot, and it made it impossible to move around inconspicuously during the day, what with a huge Shirshu and more often than not, a bawling criminal begging for mercy. The night life was her scene.

Meat

"You up for finding some real chow, kid?" She smirked at the water tribe teen after the table was cleared up. He was obviously not happy with the vegetarian meals served.

"Let's!" He practically bounded out the door, dragging her with him.

Knives

She had never had an appreciation for knives or the art of using them in combat, but when she decided to spar with the oddly bleak young woman that she was introduced to at Prince Pouty's coronation—his _real _girlfriend—she decided that knives weren't that bad. Who knows, maybe if Mai was interested, she could take her on as an apprentice.

Juggle

Her father had never been good at juggling both his career and his wives around—oh yes, he knew that she knew that she had more than one 'mother'—but he was damned good in training her for her future. She decided that she didn't need the excess baggage, and decided that the juggling act just wasn't her thing.

Money

It's not like she needed it. She didn't need to buy a lot of clothes, she didn't need fancy jewellery, and she didn't want to buy loads of homes all around the world. She didn't need a lot. But just having money made her feel better.

Worth

Jun, after many years as a bounty hunter, had grown and made herself into a legacy. She had money, she had adventure, she had men--she had everything she possibly wanted. Every once in a while, she also had several brave fools thinking they were worthy enough to travel with her and become her apprentice. She would demand that they fight her, "Prove your worth." She would say.

None of them were worthy.

Tears

One fell. Then another. And several more thereafter. She wiped at her eyes angrily, she hadn't cried since her old man died! But Nyla was like family too. And she was gone.

Blue

Something old, something borrowed, something new, and something blue. She had her old whip with her. She had 'borrowed' something from Prince Pouty's perverted cradle-robber of an uncle. She had been made a new wedding dress, and something blue…she thought. She thought hard. Nothing.

What a shame, she'd have to call off the wedding now. "Oh, Prince Pooooooouty!"

Pride

"He'll make a damned fine bounty hunter." Jun preened proudly down on her newborn.

Her husband thought otherwise. "He's going to be a damned fantastic Fire Lord."

Jun scoffed. "Please, Prince Pouty, if he takes after you in the least, he's screwed." Zuko sputtered indignantly, but Jun just beamed proudly down at her son.

"You're going to make momma proud aren't ya boy?" She cooed, "Oh yes you are!"

* * *

**Chapter 8: Katara**

* * *

Katara

Katara

I personally don't like Katara with anyone. At all. But I'll force myself to write some.

Reward

Katara would never admit it, but she loved being rewarded. When she was little, she was a spoiled chieftain's daughter. She wouldn't do anything without knowing that she would have a reward in the end. That was probably why she had so much trouble with love.

Now that she's an old lonely woman, she regrets her youth. She didn't want to commit into loving a young immature Airbender, he was quickly snapped up by his Earthbending master. She didn't want to face the hard work of loving and supporting a scarred Firebender, a passionately cold knife-throwing nobleman's daughter snagged him too. She wanted more adventure and excitement to deal with loving Haru, a nice supportive healer named Song snagged him up as well. Jet? Well, he ended up dying for her. She had many times to prove herself, but she ended up with three could-have-beens and one dead lover.

Rolls

"Go buy yourself something nice, Madame Fussybritches, I need some peace and quiet." Toph taunted as she threw a handful of gold coins at Katara's direction. The waterbender caught the money deftly, opened her mouth to shout.

"What? You want more?" Toph snickered, "well, if you ask nicely, I suppose."

Katara snapped her mouth shut and stomped off to buy herself some of her favourite rolls to gorge herself on.

"You know, Toph…" she heard Aang say while she was approaching their camp. "If you wanted to get her a gift for her birthday, all you had to do was ask her what she wanted…"

"Whatever she got with the money is fine by me." Toph shrugged. Katara smiled.

Wasted

Never had she felt so much anger and righteous indignation well up inside her for the injustices that had been pushed onto her fellow females. She looked around at the half circle of little girls and resisted the urge to _break _something! All this potential, all this talent, all this power, wasted. Just because they were unfortunate enough to be born as girls in a sexist society. Wasted.

Soil

"Earth is earth." Katara said indifferently as she heard Toph and Haru discuss some kind of farming technique his village had been trying out because their coal mines have been abandoned. Toph scowled and Haru looked like she had blasphemed. "What?"

"How could you Katara!" Haru demanded, aghast. "Earth is special and individualistic and—"

"Well, if earth is earth," Toph began, shoving Haru aside to stand at her full height—she had grown a lot over the years and is now a few inches taller than the waterbender. "Then water is just plain water."

Katara sputtered, but stalked away in defeat, there was no arguing with Toph when she was out to defend her soil.

Prices

She was so damned ready to just freeze that damned fisherman! She had spent a good twenty minutes arguing with him for the price of one fish! Finally, she had won out, but that didn't give her any satisfaction. She had wasted most of her time arguing and didn't have enough time to buy anything else for the gAang. She scowled, took the fish, and began her trek back to the campsite.

"Hey, watch it, I—Zuko?"

The former prince was also heading back to camp, and in his arms were bags full of supplies. "Uh, hey Katara. I figured that you would be arguing with the fisherman so I got everything else."

She flushed. "The man was trying to scam me! Look at those prices." Zuko smiled.

Sophisticated

"I envy you Toph."

"Why?" The girl yawned. "I'm just me." A pause. "Well, I _am _the greatest Earthbender in the world, but you're pretty good with that splashy thing too."

Katara sighed. "You're just so sophisticated."

"You mean I'm educated?"

"I mean you're just so…misleading!" Toph shrugged, and Katara knew the other girl didn't get it. "You can play the fancy heiress, the tough Earthbender, and the comforting teacher, the fun-loving playmate, and friend so well! I'm…just me. You're so complex."

"Don't be ridiculous, Katara." Toph said in a high snooty lilt. "I can only kick ass."

White

One thing that Katara hated about the colour white, was the fact that it got so messy easily and was so open to interpretation. She had tried wearing white one day while travelling with the gAang. It was a wonderful peach-white trimmed with white fur. She did not expect Iroh and Zuko to pat her back and hug her briefly, saying, "We are sorry for your loss."

Sokka on the other hand blew a fuse. "You're not getting married, so don't you dare wear white!"

Aang was also ticked. "White is a colour for deities. Katara, are you trying to suggest something?" Momo sniffed at her in disapproval.

Toph was the only one in the group so far that had remained silent. "Well Toph?" Katara sighed, "Are you going to criticize me as well?"

Toph snorted. "It looks just fine to me."

Katara beamed, "Why thank you, Toph, I—hey!" She grumbled, "Must you find the need to do that? Isn't tormenting Sokka enough for you?"

Solid

She already regretted asking Toph to teach the group a little bit about earthbending. Iroh and Zuko joined their group a few weeks ago, and last night, Iroh explained that he had learned how to redirect lightening by learning from Waterbenders. It was an inspirational idea at the time. She had wanted to learn about other elements.

Toph had always been willing to share her talents—otherwise known as showing off—and had volunteered to give all of them a crash course while she was teaching Aang. Katara had agreed. She had forgotten that Toph was a brutal teacher.

"SUGAR QUEEN! THINK SOLID! THINK STABILITY! DO NOT JUST WEAVE THROUGH IT! YOUR STANCE IS MUCH TOO LOOSE! TRY IT AGAIN!" Katara sighed and applied. "Good, now try to—hold on, PRINCESS HOTHEAD, JUST WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?! KEEP YOUR KNEES HIGH!"

She really regretted her decision. She fell, face first into the solid ground.

Progress

"You're really making a lot of progress, Aang." The boy blushed and Katara couldn't help but blush as well.

"It's thanks to your teaching, Sifu Katara." Aang bowed and secretly wondered if he had made any progress into her heart.

Policy

It was strict policy that Katara was the mother, Sokka was the goofy yet scarily intelligent uncle, Aang was the naïve little boy, Toph was the tough aunt that no one wanted to cross, and Zuko was the father, who led everyone while fiercely objecting to everything Sokka said, but how would a baby fit into it?

Katara stared down at her niece, back at her sister-in-law, and then to Sokka. "She's a darling." She brought herself to say in some semblance of sincerity. She was, however, nervous. Would a baby change anything? Suki and Sokka beamed, unaware of Katara's mixed feelings.

Disappoint

The only reason she didn't tell Aang that she didn't love him, was that she couldn't. She knew she didn't love him, but she looked down at his hopeful loving face and couldn't bear to disappoint him. So she had said, "Yes, Aang, oh yes, I'll marry you." Even though she wanted to scream.

Misplace

"I didn't lose my love for you, Aang." Katara sighed tiredly as she was confronted by her husband of many years. "I just simply misplaced it."

"That means the same thing, Katara."

Pay

"And then—and then he said—" Her daughter imitated the low voice of a teenaged boy, "You're very cute, sweet cheeks, and then he—" Katara blinked blankly. "_Mom!_ Are you even paying attention to me?!"

"Oh, I'm paying." Katara groaned, miserable. "I'm paying."

Initiation (Sequel to Disappoint).

"All outsiders that marry into the air nomads have to go through this initiation thing." He said nervously, rubbing his bald head and frowned slightly.

"Sure, let's do this, Aang." Katara smiled confidently.

"But—"

Katara's smile wore thin, "Let's do this."

Dance

Katara had never been one for dances nor did she know how to dance exactly. She had spent most of her life in the Southern Water Tribe with the elderly and the toddlers, no suitable dance partner or teacher could be found. So when the coronation party of Fire Lord Zuko was in full throttle, she stood in the corner while everyone was dancing—hell, even Toph allowed herself to be pulled away to the dance floor—she was moping in the corners, woefully regretting never learning how to dance formally.

Someone tapped her shoulder, "Katara," It was Zuko. "Would you like to dance?"

Ancestor

Katara had always wondered while she lay beside her husband Aang late at night in the Southern Air Temple. Would she be remembered by her descendants? Would they all collect underneath her portrait and gaze up at her and wonder about who she was and what she did? She smiled and rubbed her stomach eagerly. To be an ancestor, one must have descendants first. She couldn't wait to tell Aang.

Belong

Being the only teenaged girl in her village was a bummer. She just didn't belong. She did the dutiful caregiver act for the toddlers, the obedient helpful daughter for the elder wives, and the gentle and compassionate granddaughter. She didn't have anyone to gossip to, no one to crush on, no one to befriend. So when Aang had been captured, she wanted to follow—sure to save him—and maybe find a place to belong.

Counterparts

She was the Painted Lady. He was the Blue Spirit. "The benevolent river spirit who's own children had drowned."

"A fierce warrior who died to protect who he loved."

"I hear that mortal girl had been masquerading as you."

"And what about that mortal prince?" She retorted.

The Blue Spirit smiled. "I missed you."

"And I, you." The Lady melted into his embrace. "Do you think our counterparts would find love amongst themselves?" The Blue Spirit shrugged.

Basic

Katara cried. The most basic thing she should be able to do as a waterbender was healing and protect her own. She wasn't able to heal the cut that Sokka sported. It became infected. And he died. The most basic task given to her as a sister and a healer and she failed miserably.

Air

When Katara imagined air, she saw Aang. Frivolous, playful, energetic, and overwhelming. Katara decided she couldn't handle air after all.

A.N. My worst one for my least favourite character. I tried! Honest to goodness I tried. I liked the Dance one personally.

* * *

**Chapter 9: Jin**

* * *

Jin

Jin

A whole lot of Zuko!

Trouble

Later, when she returned to her own pathetic apartment one day, long since her date with Lee, only to find Dai Li agents surrounding her, she gave up without any resistance. She knew that Lee was trouble.

Argue

When he pulled away and told her that it was complicated, and ran off, abandoning her at the fountain, she stood, shell-shocked. She had wandered off and found herself home. What she regretted was not pulling him back and argue with him.

Friendship

"How did you and daddy fall in love, mommy?" Jin sent Zuko a wary look before covering it with a look of ease. "Did he ride out on a huge dragon, and burn down all the bad guys, and give you flowers, and recite pretty poems, and—" Zuko snorted. "—and beat away all the other guys, and carry you off into the sunset?"

"Why are you asking this, Mei Yin?" Jin asked, trying very obviously to stall while motioning for her husband to help her out. Zuko turned the other way pointedly and pretended to be enraptured in his paperwork.

"Well," Mei Yin started bashfully, "Lady Mai's son is very cute and I was—"

Zuko sprang up. "Love starts with friendship, Mei Yin. Many, _many, __**many **_years of friendship." Mei Yin nodded, praised her father for his 'brilliance' and skipped off.

Jin snorted, "And how long have you known me before you married me?"

Zuko grinned, "About a month or two."

Father

She had grown up without a father figure in her life. She was constantly mocked by the other children, "Bastard," they would all whisper. Their parents would turn from her, their noses turned in the air. She had only a mother, a worn old prostitute who had been quite the looker in her days.

But now, she was going to be a mother. She looked at the noble Prince that had picked her up from the slums of Ba Sing Se and into his Palace, --yes, he was going to be a wonderful father.

Adultery

The Fire Nation Court was a nest full of vipers, and Jin had thought she was going to be able to survive in there. That was when she was a naïve little twit. She was Fire Lady, but that held very little sway in that court if you weren't of noble descent. The only reason she was even tolerated was because they all knew about Fire Lord Zuko's most evident devotion to her. But now, they've gone and spread the most venomous lies. Adultery.

The great oak doors leading to their bedroom slammed open to reveal her husband. She looked up at him silently from her spot on the floor, waiting for accusations and death. "I don't believe them. You aren't going to die." She burst out in tears. "Don't cry, Jin."

Trace

He didn't admit it to anyone, not even to Jin, but ever since she had moved into the Palace, he had been frequented with nightmares. Every night. He would scream, attendants would flock to his room and stampede away just as quickly. As soon as he felt that the coast was clear, he would sneak out as well and speed down the hall to slip silently into Jin's room. Just to be sure she didn't disappear without a trace like his mother. When he sees her there, sleeping peacefully, he laughs and forces himself to go to bed.

Soft

"You've gone soft, Zuzu." His sister drawled, triumphantly pacing before him. He tried to free himself, but Azula's Dai Li agents were too powerful.

"Let me go, Azula."

"That Jin woman has made you weak." Azula paused, and corrected herself, "Well, weak_er_ than you were before…if that was even possible." She glowered, "Therefore, I deem you unfit to rule. Don't worry, brother, dead—I mean, dear, I'll take good care of her for you."

Rival

"Who was that?"

"That was your gardener, Zuko. Now go get me a drink."

"Who was _that?"_

"That was the servant that you sent to get me the drink."

"Who was he? How does he know you?!"

"He's my hairdresser, Zuko."

"Oh yeah, sorry…Who was that?! Why was he looking at you like—"

"Zuko…that's your uncle."

"…"

Note

Iroh hummed a cheerful tune to himself as he bustled around his nephew's desk. Zuko had gone on a little peace trip to Ba Sing Se and had left him in charge. "It would be easier, if he would just organize his desk." Iroh grumbled as he sifted through large piles of paperwork. Most of the documents were just filled with complaints from the old windbags from the court, "No need to pay attention to them." Iroh stopped. There was a small slip of paper on the now cleared desk.

_Uncle,_

_I've gone to find Jin. We're eloping if she'll have me._

_Zuko_

Story

"Mama, tell me a story." Three-year-old Kua Mei asked as she clambered into her mother's lap. "Tell me the story about the little Earth Kingdom girl and the exiled Prince.

"But, Kua Mei," Jin sighed as she patched up her husband's shirt, it had been ruined once again, "You've heard this story so many times!"

"But you never finish the story, mama." Kua Mei pouted petulantly. "You always stop and tell me its bed time!" The little girl crossed her arms. "Is this story even real?"

"Yes, it is." Jin said lowly, "Do you want to know the ending?" Kua Mei nodded eagerly. "The Earth Kingdom girl married someone else and had a three year old daughter named Kua Mei. Her Prince never returned for her. Her Prince never returned."

Belief

She had been sitting in the same tea shop for many months, and one morning, the door slammed open and a crowd was heard. Jin looked up from her jasmine tea. "Lee." The familiar boy smiled nervously, and Jin motioned for him to sit down. "I knew you'd come."

"How?"

"I believed in you."

Ribbon

"I have to go."

"Will I see you again?" Green eyes glittered in the dark and the girl tried to wipe away her tears. They knew that their love was forbidden. She was a poor nobody and he was a prince. An engaged prince.

"No." She finally said.

"Very well." He sighed, reached into his pocket, and grabbed her wrist. She watched with curiosity as he tied a blood red ribbon around it. "Don't forget me."

Child

"Don't patronize me! And don't treat me like a child! You don't understand what I'm going through! No one does!" The door slammed angrily and a muffled scream of anger and frustration was heard from the other side. Fire Lady Jin crossed her arms and glowered at her husband.

"She gets it from you." Zuko had the decency to look sheepish.

Pond

When she was first brought to the Fire Nation Palace, she had found a wonderful tranquil pond to sit by and waited for Lee—no, Zuko, to finish with his meetings before he could spend time with her. "My mother and I spent a lot of time here. Do you like it?"

She had heard of the strange disappearance of his mother before and also heard of the gentle lady's devotion to her son. She stared at the pond and then back at him. "Yes, I do." She also couldn't help but feel like she's defiled it with her unworthy presence.

Fire

Fire burned Earth. It was pretty simple, and after so many decades of oppression from said Nation against her own Kingdom, she could never understand why she wasn't disgusted by the sight of him firebending at dawn.

Scroll

Her mother stared, horrified at the scroll in her hands. "Bad news?" Jin asked affably, pouring her old mother some tea.

"The Fire Lord requests your presence." The tea pot shattered at her feet.

Fear

Pure unadulterated fear crossed her face as she was appraised by the Fire Lord's insane sister. "So you're his new plaything?" The princess hummed appraisingly as she circled Jin. "You're pretty enough, I suppose. But don't worry, he'll tire of you soon." Zuko appeared just in time to rescue her from his sister, but the seeds of doubt were implanted in her mind. Was she just a plaything to him? Would he just abandon her when he's finished with her?

Worship

He was a Earth Kingdom nobleman's son and he had chanced upon her while he had gone traipsing off around in the Lower Rings one day. He struck up a conversation with her and was immediately enchanted. He worshipped her, he worshipped the air that she breathed, the earth that she walked on, he worshipped anything that vaguely reminded him of her. She didn't return her feelings however. She fled the Lower Rings of Ba Sing Se and the next time he saw her, he was paying homage to the newly crowned Fire Lord and his bride, Jin.

Preferred

"She's not educated." He immediately hired the best tutors money could buy to teach her. "She's not a Fire Nation citizen." He gave her citizenship. "She's poor!" He gave her land. "They barely know each other! Put them in close proximity and he'll snap out of it!" She was with him more often than not ever since she had moved to the Fire Nation Palace. "She's ugly."

"She's not!" He roared in her defence against the protesting nobles—all of whom were hoping he would marry _their _daughters—"And I will marry her!"

Years passed, and their love didn't fade. When she died, he didn't remarry. "I prefer her and want no one but her."

Love

"I love you." The announcement was unexpected, unnecessary, embarrassing, sudden, but not unwanted. Jin sighed as she spied her daughter hug the young man. Zuko glowered.

"Oh, lighten up, Zuzu," Jin admonished, "Can't you tell Mei Yin's in love?" The Fire Lord stalked off, grumbling about 'talks', 'castration', and 'executions'.

* * *

**Chapter 10: Toph**

* * *

Toph

Toph

Toph is the BEST! Toko and Taang!

Lost

"I know what you're thinking," she spat out bitterly, crouched behind a rock and talking to the stranger. She accepted the steaming hot tea that he offered her and continued, "Poor little girl. She's so young, and fragile, and _weak _to travel alone like this. She can't handle herself."

"No, that is not how I think." The man said in a low drawl. Toph shifted her feet and she could tell that he wasn't lying to her. "I think that you are only a little lost in your need for independence."

"I carry my _own weight! _I don't _need _help!" She snarled. "You do think I'm weak, you won't even let me pour my own tea."

"I served you tea, not because I think you are too weak or helpless." The man corrected sternly. "I served you tea because I wanted to. Your friends, whoever they are, only want to help you too." Toph made a face, but the man only chuckled. "You will find your way, in time."

"Right, right, I got to go now." Toph stood up. "Thanks for the tea old man."

Betrayal

She hadn't planned to overhear their little man-to-man talk—or as she would've called it the wuss-to wussier wuss talk—but she did. She had been going out for a walk when she heard their voices. Normally she would've just walked past without a second thought. But they were talking about her. "Sokka, you have to choose." Aang was saying to the Water Tribe boy. "Both Toph and Suki are waiting for you. It's not fair to either of them."

"I don't know." Sokka sounded so lost. "I like Toph _and _Suki."

"Well," Aang sighed, "If you would rather live without one of them, who you would rather leave behind?"

There was a deep drawn out silence. "Toph." Sokka's voice was decisive and sure. Toph couldn't help but feel betrayed. She muffled her cry and earthbended herself into the earth as quietly as possible.

Although Sokka didn't hear it, Aang sure did. "I'm sorry, Toph."

Insanity

"I suffer from a severe case of insanity." Toph declared dramatically to the rest of the group on their bi-monthly meetings. It was a ritual Katara had forced upon all of them after the war had ended and the group had split up.

Sokka snorted, "So you're going to go Azula on us and try to kill us all? Eurrk!" Both Suki and Katara elbowed him in the gut. "What?! Oh! Hey Zuko, Iroh." Katara groaned as Suki slapped her forehead.

Toph grumbled, no one was paying attention to her. She kicked and the earth below her rumbled. "So, Toph." Aang quickly said, catching on to her annoyance. "Why do you think you're going nuts?"

Toph grinned, and flicked the boy on the forehead, "I'm dating you aren't I? That's got to speak for itself." Aang pouted as everyone else had a laugh…at his expense.

Hair

"Miss Toph is such a plain little thing—but she has beautiful hair." "Miss Toph is a blind little girl—but she has beautiful hair." "Miss Toph is too short—but she has beautiful hair." "Nothing special, so rough and clumsy—but she has beautiful hair."

"Much too loud, too wide, too dowdy—but she has beautiful hair." She also has excellent hearing. The next day, Toph came out of her room with a rough scraggily hair cut.

Years later, while she was travelling with gAang one day, she unbound her wet hair to let it dry while they were flying. "Wow, Toph! You—uh—" Aang floundered on finding something to say.

"Well? Spit it out already, Twinkletoes." Toph snapped, her face burning and her heart raced. _Don't mention my hair, don't mention my hair, don't mention my hair. _She silently begged.

"You look beautiful." She smiled.

Face

"What's wrong with your _face_?!" The angry water tribe wannabe warrior roared at the little blind Earthbender during another one of their little verbal spars. But unlike the usual spars between the two sarcastic members of the group, appearances were brought into it. It was an unspoken taboo that even Zuko never dared cross. Sokka obviously didn't get the memo. A moment, another, then another passed as the group waited for a rebuttal from Toph. There was a stifling silence.

"I'm done." Toph muttered as she stood up, dusted herself off, and with a stomp, her bag came flying into her arms. She was gone, leaving the camp stiff with shock.

"Oops." Sokka murmured.

"That's where you are," Aang greeted his moody earthbending teacher (and the secret object of his super secret affections) with forced cheer and calm. "Dinner is getting cold." Aang was hungry, and he had been looking forward to a meal but found Toph missing and insisted on looking for her.

There was a sniffle coming from the earth tent that he knew held Toph. Aang panicked. A sniffle? Coming from _Toph's _tent? A _sniffle_ coming from I-beat grown-men-five-times-my-size-the-greatest-earthbender-in-the-world-and-you-better-remember-that-or-I'll-make-you-eat-dirt _Toph?_

"Toph, are you okay?" Aang knocked on the door of the tent once more before stomping his foot firmly on the ground to send vibrations through the ground. Toph was a skilled Earthbender and could've easily earthbended her way out of the tent without him noticing. She was still there. "Don't make me come in there, Toph!"

A muffled laugh was heard from the tent. They both knew he was too wimpy to even try knocking down her tent. Aang sweatdropped. "Okay, so we both know I'm too much of a wuss to even try that." A loud, "HA!" was heard from Toph, but Aang continued. "But I'll stay out here until you come out! And I'll know if you try to dig a tunnel out of that damned tent Toph!" Aang sat down and didn't move for what seemed like hours.

Aang was nodding off to sleep before a slight rumbling was heard. He immediately jumped up to stand and face the door. With a loud roar, the door slid open to reveal Toph. "There you are Sifu Toph. I'm starving! So let's get back to camp."

"Is there something wrong with my face, Aang?" The monk faltered. Toph never used his name unless she was serious. He had heard that Sokka and Toph had gotten into another fight. What was this all about?

"Uh…what?"

The little earthbender turned red. "Look, the answers are, 'yes, Toph, you look disgusting' or 'no, Toph, you're not ugly'."

Aang stiffened. Did Sokka…make fun of Toph's appearance? How was he going to punish Sokka while still seeming to be a kind peaceful monk? And how was he going to answer Toph?!

Toph sighed, "I'm that bad am I?" She pouted angrily when she felt tears prickling her eyes. "I'm blind, but that doesn't mean I can't feel your heartbeat, Aang." She brushed past him, "Let's just get back to camp."

She was stopped when Aang reached out and grabbed her arm. "No, Toph,"

"What is it then?!" Toph snapped angrily, all the hurt and insecurity she had been nursing for the past few hours finally springing up to confront her. "Am I horrendous? Or just slightly revolting?"

"No," Aang repeated firmly, "you're beautiful."

Touch

It didn't seem much to Toph when a few people bumped into her when they were in the busy marketplace. The touches were light and barely there. She figured it was too small of an occurrence to make a big deal about it. After all, she had no proof. A hand on the shoulder, the arm, the hand.

However, when she got older, the touches have become more frequent, and much more bold. Her bum, her chest, her stomach, thigh, hip, waist, and the small of her back among other places. However, she was supposed to be incognito while on their group's little vacation after the war and why would she ruin the day by causing a fight anyways? So she let it slide.

Unfortunately, _every single _marketplace the group had visited had lecherous men, apparently. And each lecherous man decided that it was grope the little blind girl day. She was going to blow her top. So when their group was heading back, and a man made a grab for her butt, she swung around, ready to knock the daylights out of the asshole, only to find that Zuko had already dragged him off by the collar and was beating him senseless in a nearby alleyway.

Cold

"Move over, Princess Hothead, I'm cold." Toph plopped down beside the Prince, latched onto his arm and leaned against him. It was autumn and it was just beginning to get chilly so it was understandable.

"You don't mind, do you, Princess Hothead? No? You're so kind." Toph wriggled herself into the one-person sleeping bag and snuggled deeply against his chest. "It's cold outside." It was winter now, and it was snowing out. Zuko shrugged and wrapped an arm around the girl, pulling her closer to him.

"Uh…Toph…it's the middle of summer." Zuko said uncomfortably at the blind girl holding on to his arm.

"Yeah?" Toph said nonchalantly. "I think I know that. My feet are burning up. Carry me?" She had already thrown herself onto his back, giving him barely any time to hook his arms under her legs.

"So…why are you—"

"You're hot." Zuko flushed, lost his footing on the shifting sands of the beach they were on, and landed face first in it. "You're also very clumsy."

Borrow

"Agni! Toph! Give me back my stuff!"

Toph shrugged. "I was just borrowing it."

"_You _were trying to steal my crown." Zuko accused her, one long finger poked at her forehead. "It's not call borrowing if you don't have any intention of returning it, thief." The taller of the two sniffed as he placed the crown back in his top knot.

"We-_ell,_" Toph smirked, crossing her arms, "I was just returning the favour. You know, getting even. After all, you've done the same to me." Zuko froze. Was it his imagination, or did she sound like Azula?

"What are you talking about?" Zuko demanded roughly. He didn't remember taking anything from Toph.

"Oh, Zuzu, how you wound me." Toph snickered. "You've borrowed my heart for a few years now you know."

Secret

"Wanna know a secret, Sugar Queen?" Sokka had gone hunting, and Aang and Zuko were off firebending, leaving Katara and Toph behind.

"Oooh!" Katara grinned slyly, looking up from her sewing. "Are you going to tell me who you like?"

Toph sniffed. "Don't be ridiculous, Sugar Queen, if I told you, it wouldn't be a secret anymore."

"Okay," Katara sighed, disappointed. If Toph didn't want to say, it was better for her and the safety of everyone else in the vicinity if she didn't press the girl. "So what were you going to tell me?"

Toph smirked. "If I told you, it wouldn't be a secret now would it?" Toph sauntered off.

Two

"When I was born, I was so little and so weak. My parents told me that I was barely able to pull through. The doctors saved me, but I'm blind. I guess I'm lucky to be alive." Toph admitted. "I heard that it's a full moon tonight, so I thought I might, y'know, talk to you. Snoozles does it all the time. I hear him." There was a pause. "He's at the cliff. You would think he'd be smart enough to stay _away _from unstable cliffs that might give out any second—but nope, he's an absolute idiot."

"So…your name's Yue, right?" Toph flushed, was it just her or did she sound ridiculous? "Well, my name's Toph. Snoozles told me about you. You were born weak and frail, and all pathetic on the verge of death-like right?" Toph grinned, "We have that in common then. But I'm not little. Well, not anymore. And I'm definitely not weak or pathetic. And I suppose you aren't either—being the moon spirit and all." Toph chuckled weakly to herself. "Whatever, I feel ridiculous talking to the moon, good night." She got up and stalked away.

Toph was back again an hour later. "And I'm glad I got to talk to you, sort of. I guess, I'm just talking _at _you. But you know what? We're two of a kind. You were trapped in an arranged marriage. And I was trapped in my pretty little gilded cage. But we both broke free, y'know?" She raised her fist roughly to the moon, as if to punch her. "Yeah, I suppose you're not so bad." Toph yawned sleepily. "After all, we're pretty much alike. I'm glad we talked..."

Strong

It was a party thrown in his honour to thank him for saving them and their wretched little hides. Toph had somehow been dragged into the celebration. The only thing that had mollified her slightly was that she had run into her surrogate brother, Zuko, and Uncle Iroh. Iroh was such a wise and calming old man. It was a good thing too, for she was feeling particularly bloodthirsty. "I know what you're thinking, Toph," Iroh said slowly, warning clearly in his voice. "It is not wise to make a scene and harm young Avatar Aang's dancing partner."

Zuko snorted from his place beside his Uncle. "If it was some guy trying to come onto Mai like that, I would incinerate him, then laugh." Toph nodded contemplatively.

Iroh shook his head and shot Zuko an annoyed and disapproving look. "The strong are willing to show restraint…" Iroh paused and eyed the angry girl, growing angrier and angrier by the second. "…and mercy."

"Then allow me to be the weak and temperamental Princess Hothead for a few seconds, Uncle." Toph snapped, Zuko made an affronted noise at this, and she made her way to the dancing couple, earthbended the woman neck-high into the earth, and dragged her man away.

Spoil

"Kuei gave me this." The Earth King's most recent mistress flashed the extremely large and gaudy diamond before Toph's blind eyes. "And this." She gestured at her extremely bright and silky clothes. "He bought me a large mansion by the coast, and he got me a poodle-monkey, and took me out to his vacation home on Ember Island, and…" Toph ignored the jabbering woman and paid careful attention to Princess Hothead. He was practically radiating anxiety and anger as he talked to one of the Earth Kingdom noblemen opposite them.

"How about you?"

Toph shook her head slightly, "Pardon me, I missed that," Toph smiled tightly, "Would you mind repeating what you just said, Lady Lei?"

The twit giggled, "No matter, I was asking, what did Fire Lord Zuko give you, Lady Bei Fong?" Zuko and pretty much everyone at their end of the table pretty much stopped to await her answer. Her parents were also listening attentively—more like praying that she wouldn't smash food into Lady Lei's face, or something drastic like that.

"Well, Zuko spoils me, really," Toph said in an acceptable high-and-mighty-I-am-richer-than-you-therefore-I-am-better voices that was ingrained in her very being since she was little, "after all, he is going to make me his _wife_. Say, that _is _a rather beautiful diamond isn't it, Lady Lei, did the Earth King give it to you?" Lady Lei excused herself after her defeat.

Jealousy

Aang could barely stand it any more. The way they laughed, and danced, and practically sat so close together it looked like their hips were attached! He couldn't stand the way she would lean in close to him, and how he'd wrap an arm around her shoulder. If he hadn't blocked his chi he would've been in the Avatar State! He can't stand this! He stormed out into the balcony to find some peace and quiet.

A rustle of silks caught his attention shortly after he had spent a few restful minutes in silence. "Who's there?"

"Chill, Twinkles," Toph smirked as she slipped out from beneath the shadows. She was all dressed up to celebrate the Bosco's birthday, and to him, she looked even more beautiful than last time they were there years ago. "It's just me. So what's got your panties in a knot?"

"Me?" Aang floundered, aghast. How could he have forgotten that Toph was a living breathing human lie detector. "Oh nothing much. You? I saw you and Zuko dancing. Quite a pair you two." He laughed it off easily, for it was the truth. Zuko was manly and handsome and the scar on his face only made him dashing. Toph was beautiful, enough said. He wasn't jealous, well he was. He just focused on being upset. It was better that Toph found out he was upset than jealous anyways.

"Quite," Toph repeated, nodding.

"Yeah, well, I gotta go in now. You know, congratulate Bosco and everything. See ya, Toph." Aang quickly fled. Toph stomped off moment's later to find Zuko.

"So, did it work?"

"Nada," Toph pouted. "He wasn't jealous at all."

Temple

All morning, she had been complaining that she had a headache. She whined to anyone that would listen to her and made everyone's day a living hell. Iroh, the kind soul, offered her some tea. She drank it, and she was silent for a few minutes. A few painfully short minutes. She began again.

It started with Aang. The poor guy decided that travelling via glider was suddenly the new in. Katara was quite adept with ignoring her, which wasn't surprising, after all, _Sokka _was her brother. Suki…she was dating Sokka. And Sokka? Well, he had quite skilfully managed to annoy her back with his own incessant jabbering. She had tried bugging Iroh, but he was so kind and patient, she decided to give up. The last option was the hot-headed Zuko. Before she could even open her mouth to complain, he kissed her temples. "Now will you shut up?"

Toph was silent for a moment before she whispered into his ear, "My mouth hurts, Zuzu."

Sing

It was ironic and downright hilarious that Katara, the epitome of grace, culture, and femininity could wake the dead when she even attempts to sing, while Toph, the tomboyish, rough, and rebellious runaway sang like an angel.

Corpse

Zuko woke up to find the camp empty and devoid of any signs of life. He didn't wake up so late that they had gone ahead without him, had they? He grabbed his dual swords from beneath his pillows and walked around the camp. Momo and Appa were still asleep. Aang, Katara and Sokka was strangely missing.

What was even stranger, was that Toph's ever present earth tent was gone. She was lying on the ground, motionless and eerily silent. Not a snore escaped her.

"Toph, wake up, the others are missing." Zuko prodded Toph edgily, and quickly jumped back, ready to defend himself from an onslaught of rocks. It never came. "Toph?" Zuko dropped to his knees beside the girl. "Toph!" He grabbed her shoulders and shook. She fell limply against his chest. "Damn it." Zuko cursed. He checked her pulse. Nothing. A wave of panic crashed down onto him. His grip tightened on her arms and out of the corner of his eyes, he saw her flinch. His eye twitched accordingly. Was she trying to play a game with him? He was scared out of his mind for a moment!

"Well," Zuko sighed, defeated. "This is good bye then, Toph." He laid her down on the ground once more, gave her a chaste kiss on the lips, and stood a few paces away. He closed his eyes, and got into a familiar firebending stance. He pulled his arm back and was about to let out a strong burst of fire to cremate Toph.

"ZUKO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Aang's cry was heard from the bushes.

Zuko shrugged and said evenly to his pupil, "Well, if Toph was going to play dead, then I might as well treat her accordingly and cremate her. Aang, come here, this technique is used to cremate loved ones, watch carefully—"

Katara squawked indignantly. "She's dead and you're _not _crying?!"

"Well, that's because I've only been dating her for a month or so," Zuko shrugged, "I'll miss her and everything—" Toph twitched, and Zuko smiled as he saw her hand bawl into a fist. Time for the last push. "—but we weren't that close like how Mai and I—"

"WHAT?!" Toph's shriek was high and ear-splitting. Zuko winced. "So I drop dead one morning and you're just going to hook up with Mai?! Zuko, you—"

She was immediately silenced by a firm kiss. "That's what I would do if you decide to play dead one more time." Toph socked him one and didn't speak to him for the rest of the day.

Lord

"I'm big! I'm bad! I'm—"

"Toph." Zuko groaned, "What are you doing in my robes?"

"THE MELON LOOOOOOOOOOOORD! BWHAHAHAHAH!"

"Toph, really, I have to get dressed. Give me back my robes." The woman continued to cackle at herself. "Is that…my _crown_?"

"SILENCE LOWLY PEASANT! I AM THE MELON LORD! THE SUPREME RULER OF THE WORLD!"

"Toph, I'm going to be late for my meeting."

"WHO IS THIS TOPH YOU SPEAK OF PUNY PEASANT?!" Toph stumbled back, "NO! IT CANNOT POSSIBLY BE! BUT IT IS!" Toph mock gasped. "THE EXILED GOOD FOR NOTHING AND INFERIOR PRINCE ZUKO!" Toph summoned a Zuko-like stone statue and mimed in an uncanny likeness of Zuko's voice, "Oh no! Please don't hurt me! I know I'm not as talented and graceful and beautiful, no matter how much I dress up in women's clothes as my darling wife, Toph, whose feet tread the ground upon which I lick! (1) OH HAVE MERCY MIGHTY MELON LORD!"

Zuko twitched. "Toph, I really need those robes!" He made a mad lunge for Toph, but his stone likeness intercepted him easily.

"NEVER LOWLY SERF! I WILL DESTROY YOU! CRUSH YOU!" It was obvious to Zuko that he was going to be late for that meeting.

Conquer

"And that," Poppy Bei Fong said primly, while stabbing in one more hair pin in her daughter's hair. "Is how you bait, trap, and conquer your man's heart. There, all done sweetie. You look fantastic. So…" The older woman began slyly, "Are you after the Avatar or the Fire Lord?"

Toph resisted the urge to dry heave. Who knew her mother was so knowledgeable on hunting and trapping? _I bet Snoozles would feel sick to the stomach if he heard her. _"Uh…I think I've got it handled, mother." Toph quickly slid off her seat and ran out the door.

"Divide and conquer Toph! Divide and conquer!"

Rubber Duck

She squeezed the thing in her hand. It squeaked. She squeezed it again, and tilted her head questioningly up at him. "What _is _this and how can I destroy it?"

Aang pouted. "It's a rubber duck. I was hoping…maybe we can take a bath with…it?"

Toph smirked, threw the duck behind her, "If you wanted to see me naked, you could just say so Twinkles." She hooked a finger on his collar and began to drag him to the river. "Come on, bath time."

Different

"It's because we're different…isn't it?" Toph grumbled as she followed the newest member of their group into the forest to look for some firewood.

"Different?" The older teen grunted.

"Yeah, you know, the little blind girl and the big meanie scarface prince?"

Zuko rolled his eyes and ignored the insult to his face. Toph had a notion for naming people ridiculous names anyways. "Maybe they're the ones that are different." He said absently as he swatted a low branch.

"Hey…" Toph brightened as realization dawned upon her. "You're right! _We're _not the ones that are different, _they are!_" Zuko was abruptly punched and he fell to the ground—to his embarrassment—and Toph wrapped an arm around his neck. "WE'RE GOING TO BE BEST BUDDIES!"

"What?!"

A.N. Since I like Toph so much, I made them extra long! PEACE! …by now you all probably realize I love Taang and Toko.

(1) Stole this off marvel26, who is awesome! You should totally read!

* * *

**Chapter 11: Lo and Li**

* * *

Lo and Li

Lo and Li

Old People! Whoo!

Birth

Lo was older than her by two minutes, and she had never let Li forget it when they were younger. Otherwise, they were both equal. Same height, same weight, same good looks, same intelligence, same skills, same. There were vast differences, but those were yet to be discovered.

Paint

Painting had always been their favourite past time besides combat. That was where their similarities stop in that area. Li loved to paint inanimate objects and bringing them to life with her colours. Lo loved to paint portraits. The exact precise detail, the shading, the extreme uncanny likeness the portraits bore compared to their models was breathtaking.

Li had the imagination and therefore had the ability to use anything at her disposal to turn her paintings alive. She experimented. Lo had the precision and cool eye for detail. She had perfected her art.

Little

Li took little steps when she learned to walk. Those little steps made her slow and clumsy. But she was safe.

Lo took large steps when she learned to walk. Her steps were surefooted and quick if not unbalanced. She was always falling, but unlike Li, she ended up with bruises.

Detached

"To achieve enlightenment, one must be detached from the world and its affairs. Enlightenment is serenity." Both twins focused intensely on their teachers words. "Om…Om…Om…"

"Om…" Li strained, "Om…Om…" She really couldn't take the silence anymore. "Om…Om…Om…" And if Sifu Shana makes her meditate another _second_ she's going to BLOW UP!

BOOM!

"What the?" Lo grabbed her hand and dragged her outside.

"Glad we finally got out of there." Lo sighed, leaning against Li unsteadily. Her legs were stiff and half asleep after an hour of meditating.

"You set the firecrackers on fire didn't you, Lo?" Li asked, delighted and disappointed that her sister didn't let her join in on the fun. Lo folded her hands in her billowing sleeves and smirked.

World

"Lo?" Li whispered quietly to her old sister. They were dying and they both knew it. They had lived a full lifetime at the Fire Nation court with regrets and happiness.

"Yes?" She heard her whisper back.

They didn't need to make eye contact, before they both uttered the same sentence. "You mean the world to me."

Lies

When Lo and Li first met Princess Azula, she was a mere infant. "She will bring you success, Prince Ozai." Li was the first to admit. What she saw was evil in the child.

"She will rule all." Lo was quick to say to the proud father. What she saw was lies and deception.

"She will be a most fitting ruler." The sister bowed, and made eye contact out of the corner of their eyes. They were both lying.

Alone

When they ever got into trouble, their father would separate them for a week. It was worse than any type of punishment they had ever received at the Royal Fire Nation Academy for Girls. But once they were together again, they held a larger appreciation for the other's presence.

Monster

They were assigned as Princess Azula's advisors. They didn't fear the little monster. Lo saw a little bit of her ruthlessness, dedication, and strength in their young ward. Li saw a bit of her ingenuity, raw talent, and manipulative nature in their young ward as well.

"We make a fine trio of monsters." Lo laughed. Li laughed with her.

Mother

"I'm too young to be a mother." Li would say to every marriage proposal.

"I'm too good for you." Was what she really meant.

"I'm too good for you." Was what Lo would say to every marriage proposal.

"You'll only drag me down." Was what she really meant.

"I only need my sister." That was true.

Father

"Will father love me if I practice more?" Large golden eyes that didn't quite match the sharp and aristocratic face of a princess peered up at them shyly. "If I get better, father will spend more time with me, right?"

Lo and Li were both stunned, before Li bent down slowly, placed both hands on the hopeful princess's shoulders and smiled warmly, "I don't see why not, Princess Azula." The girl beamed and ran off excitedly to the courtyards.

"Such a sweet girl doesn't deserve such an ass of a father." Lo couldn't help but agree.

Please

"Please?"

"No Azula! Get away from me!"

Li moved quickly out of the way as the young princess shot off in the opposite direction. She righted herself to catch the guilty expression on Zuko's face, and said reproachfully, "You're going to regret being so cruel to her once you're older, Prince Zuko."

Disappointment

"You are a disappointment. Why can't you be more like your sisters?" Lo and Li sat in stony silence as they watched their father degrade their little brother. What really was a disappointment, was that neither of them spoke up and defended him.

Reach

"Reach out and grab it." One boy whispered quite loudly to his classmate beside him. "She totally digs you. Totally."

"Are you sure?" The other boy whispered back. "She's _Li._ I don't—"

"Just grab her hair already! What can she possibly do? Her sister Lo is the one you should be scared of."

"Then why don't you do it?!"

"I—" He was cut off from their conversation when he was suddenly pulled back by the back of his shirt. His head slammed loudly against the table behind him.

"If either of you even try to reach out to do _anything _to Li, I'll_ kill you both._" Lo glowered. No one teases, taunts, or hurts her sister other than herself.

Tree

"Great Grandfather Chin incinerated his entire hometown…" There was a pause. "For no apparent reason."

"Great-Great Uncle Sing was insane."

"Great-Great-Great Grandfather Pai gambled away half of the family fortune."

"Great Grandmother spent half her life with her two feet stuck in two chamberpots."

"Great Aunt Mei Ting fell in love with her rabbaroo and ran away from Great Uncle Chen."

Both girls sighed, "When father told us to read over our family history to have a greater appreciation for our ancestors…this was definitely not what I thought I'd find." Lo admitted.

"Our entire family is crackpot insane." Li shrieked.

Candy

The boy was pushed roughly into the dirt by Lo and she quickly stomped one firm foot on his back to keep him there. Li wrenched the two lollipops the boy had so foolishly flaunted at them and teased them with.

"Like taking candy from a baby." They smirked.

Tattle

"You tattled!"

"Did not!"

"Oh please, not this again." Jing sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Don't try to lie, you did so tattle!"

"Okay, so maybe I accidentally told mom. But Jing told me to!"

Jing immediately felt two pairs of eyes trained on him. One was furious while the other was triumphant. "Oh no…" Jing tried to block out any sounds as he heard both his sisters scream for their mother.

Map

"I can't read maps." Lo shoved the paper to Li.

"I hate maps." Li shoved it back to Lo.

"No really, I _insist _you can read the map this time." Lo hissed.

"I _hate _maps." Li narrowed her golden eyes.

"JING!" Their brother resisted the urge to run into a wall and end his pathetic existence.

Paper

A sheet of paper was pressed into both their hands. "What's this for?" Li demanded.

"It's a sheet of paper." Lo said indignantly. "We want money, mother, not blank pieces of paper." Li nodded.

Their mother stood before them. "This, ladies, is the key to getting your own steady supply of money."

"Paper?" Li questioned. Lo crossed her arms crossly.

"No," The elder woman said calmly. "It's what you're going to put on the paper that will be important."

"So you'll put money on the paper, wrap it up, and have the servant send it to our rooms?"

"NO! I AM SICK AND TIRED OF YOU TWO ASKING ME FOR MONEY! WRITE A DAMNED RESUME AND GET A JOB!"

Doll

It was held loosely by one leg and a disdainful look were on both their faces. "Lo, Li, don't you love the new doll your Uncle Fu brought from the Earth Kingdom? He even sent a card! To my darling nieces, Lo and Li."

"Mother," Lo sighed, "_Children _play with dolls. We—"

"Are _definitely not _children." Li sniffed. "Come, Lo, time is being wasted—"

"—correct, and we have much to do." Ting was left astounded. Since when were her daughters finishing each others' sentences and refusing to play with dolls?

Try

Lo and Li watched comfortably from their hidden seats as their brother stalked through the doorway and headed for his room. Jing had almost past them before Li let out a giggle. Lo glared at her sister. "YOU TWO!"

Soaking wet, covered in muck, and extremely irritated, Jing was a sight to behold. Lo and Li clambered out from their hiding spot to grin at him.

"Had a nice walk, did you, Jing?" Li asked affably for the both of them.

Jing slapped himself on his forehead, and glared at both of them. "I hate you two."

They both donned identical maniacal toothy grins, "We try."

A.N. Extremely hard!


	64. Riches

Prompt Number 14: Riches

It was a busy Saturday morning and business was booming. In the large market square, various stalls were open to passing customers. From the local citizens to foreign traders, all the wares were brought out for display. The cabbage merchant had set up almost at the very back of the market place. The fabric merchant was much closer to our stalls but that was only because Azula liked his wares. In this city and in all the cities of the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom, Azula's say was what counted. And Azula had no qualms against using her power to get what she wanted. That is why our stalls are open in the most prominent areas of the square. The former merchants that were there are probably in the back, with the cabbage merchant. They were rather rude anyways.

Oh, but pardon me, you don't even know who Azula is do you? Or me, I suppose. Azula is something special. She's a trading princess, really. She has so many caravans, so many possessions and slaves, it's amazing that she can keep track of everything! But then again, this _is_Azula we're talking about. She knows everything. But yes, Azula is a really rich woman. She was born the second child, a daughter, to the mogul Ozai. She ended up inheriting everything once Ozai died.

And where do I fit in? I'm Ty Lee, Azula's right hand woman. That position used to be our other friend, Mai's, but then she ran off with Azula's brother, Zuko. We haven't heard from them since and well, if you even mention Zuko or Mai, you'd be kicked out of our caravans so fast, your head would still be spinning for days! Trust me, it's happened! I ran off to the circus when we were still kids, but she needed someone to help guard her caravans. Life's not too bad with Azula anyways, so who am I to complain? For such a greedy woman, Azula is very generous with me.

Another thing I do besides guard her riches, I also oversee the sale of her goods. Azula doesn't like dealing with pesky merchants unless it was absolutely necessary so that usually means that I oversee the transactions. Azula trusts me not to steal from her (and she's also very, _very _scary). The last guy who tried to take something from her...we don't talk much about that. But he's probably rotting in some cave somewhere.

"Good morning, sir! How may I help you?" It was still early, but already, people were assembling to get a good look at Azula's stock. There were many things for sale since we had just made a round through the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribes. The man was the first in line. Dressed in the opulent robes of a noble, I could already see the piles of gold we'd be left with after his trip. Beside him, was his daughter, equally well-dressed and quite distracted by something from the looks of it.

"What do you have this time, miss?" He seemed polite, something that couldn't be said about all nobles. I liked him already. I'm a very sociable girl, y'know!

"We have many goods from the Water Tribes this time. We just passed through." Although we go through the Earth Kingdom regularly, trips to the Water Tribes were rare. It was unfortunate. Many people want the luxurious furs the Water Tribesmen crafted - I don't understand why. It's so darn hot in these areas! Azula said it was a status symbol and she was quite happy to charge them extra.

"How much do you want for him?" I followed his finger as he pointed to the slaves. Azula usually kept slaves. Harsh, I know, but they're mostly useful bandits or criminals she wants to trade in for their bounty or use for protection. Their numbers varied throughout the seasons and Azula sees them mainly like cattle. But I couldn't help wincing when he pointed at one particular slave. Oh boy.

"Hey, who the hell do you think you're pointing at?" Dark blue eyes glared over in our direction.

The little noblewoman giggled. "Father, he's so _wild_. I like him."

"Ha. ha. Well you can't have me, princess." He crossed his arms, and in the pale sunlight, it only brought attention to his toned dark arms. I couldn't help but groan a little. That punk sure had some trouble keeping himself under the radar. I don't even know why he's here. Sokka is such a prat sometimes, I'm not sure why Azula hasn't shot him full of lightning already. She didn't like being disrespected, but more than once, he had ignored her, disobeyed her, tried to run away, _fought _her and he's still not dead! Don't get me wrong, he's nice enough, sweet and funny, but it's confusing to follow those two!

"_Father_!" No doubt, this woman wasn't accustomed to being disrespected either.

Suitably frazzled, he nodded to mollify the girl. He was a loving father, I can tell. "Miss, my daughter would like to purchase this slave. Name your price."

"I'm sorry, sir." I say with utmost sorrow. "Sokka isn't for sale."

"And why not?" Father and daughter both demanded.

I cringe back and paused. I'm really not good at making up lies. That's more of Azula's thing. Heck, I can't even lie to get the last piece of chocolate fudgecake, let alone lying to stop a man from buying one of our slaves. "Um...as you can see, Sokka here is a Water Tribe warrior. Uh...um, Princess Azula wanted to keep him for a while in case he fetches more in the next town."

From the looks on their faces, they obviously weren't satisfied with my answer. From my right, Sokka merely snorted. I shot him a frustrated look, as if he could think of anything better on such short notice. Well, he probably could. He was smart, like Azula. That was probably why he's alive still. Azula is quite volatile and many things displease her. "I demand to speak to the owner of this damned store! I want to buy him and I won't take no for an answer!"

"Princess Azula is still resting..." I all but whimper. I'm ashamed to say it, but this nobleman is _scary_. I don't think I like him very much anymore.

"Listen, you-" He made a grab for me, but I leaped back.

"Hey, don't you try anything funny now." Sokka yelled, pulling out a dark sword and quickly coming to my side. Another thing I always wondered about, if he really was a slave, why in the world did Azula let him keep his sword? And why is he not tied up like the rest of the slaves?

"I can handle it." I will _not_let him do my job for me.

"No, you can't." Sokka said, his blue eyes twinkled smugly and I'm just itching to block some of his chi. Azula won't be happy (only she could tear into him apparently) but too bad. He's so...

"I DEMAND TO SPEAK TO THE OWNER! IMMEDIATELY!" The nobleman roared. He didn't like being ignored, it seems.

"_Father, I want this one, this one!_" The noblewoman pointed again to Sokka, as if she hadn't made her choice clear the first time.

"And I told you," Sokka sneered, "You can't have me."

"SILENCE! How _dare_you speak to my daughter like that? I ought to have you flogged, peasant!" Spittle flew everywhere, but Sokka didn't do anything, thankfully. Sokka was the Southern Water Tribe's Chieftain's son and definitely wasn't a peasant. Azula didn't even compare even though she is Fire Lord Iroh's niece.

"I'd like to see you -"

"Just what is going on here?"

"P-Princess Azula." I stammered and bowed.

"Ty Lee." Gold eyes trailed along me, and even though it's very warm today, I shiver. She sees everything - it's like she can read my mind. Finally, her gaze continues to the others, first the nobleman and his daughter, then to Sokka. "Sokka."

"Good morning, Azula." How _dare_he address her so informally?

"What seems to be the problem here, sir?" Azula asks. She's still dressed in her sleepwear: a crimson red robe lined with gold embroidery but she looked every part the princess she was. "Do I need to call upon my Dai Li agents?"

The mere mention of her agents, renowned earthbenders that follow Azula's every word, has the nobleman backtracking and I can't help but bite back a grin. "No, no, that is alright, Princess Azula." He coughs. "I was merely inquiring after the price of a slave ..." He points at Sokka. "This one in particular. He's quite a stunning young man and from the looks of it, sturdy enough to work. I'm willing to make a more than generous offer for him"

"Then I don't see much of a problem here." Azula says. Each syllable from her drops like air. "Ty Lee, I'll take it from here."

I try to protest, but I was immediately shot down with one look from her. I sneaked a glance at Sokka. How was he taking it? He's about to be sold off and by Azula herself! His face betrayed nothing but I can tell by his aura that he's upset. The nobleman named his price and my jaw dropped. With that kind of money, we could fund another expedition to the Water Tribes! Perhaps, we could even buy a nice house on Ember Island...or...some nice jewels, repair the caravans a bit, patch up a few ostrich-horses, maybe even -

"I'm afraid that I will have to reject your offer, sir."

What?

"What do you _mean?" Apparently _the nobleman wasn't expecting such an answer from Azula either.

"That amount isn't sufficient." Azula said, arms crossed and a pleased smirk was on her face. "I am rather fond of Sokka." Was she just bluffing to get a higher price? Or was she serious? I try to catch Sokka's eye in hopes that he'll be able to clear up some of my confusion, but he's steadfastly looking at his sandals.

"But _father_, I _want_him."

"Alright, princess." He says, "How much do you want for him, Princess Azula?"

It was then that Sokka finally looked up. Their eyes locked for a brief moment and then nothing. Azula smiled, a small and secretive smile, and replied, "Not for all the riches in the world."


	65. Nothing

Prompt Number 12: Luck

What is luck?

I'll tell you what it is. It's nothing.

I was always told that I was born lucky.

I had everything I could ever ask for.

Beauty, power, wealth, admiration, skill.

With such traits, one would think I would be quite successful in whatever I choose, correct?

Wrong again.

I'm stuck here, rotting away in some filthy mental facility while my brother takes the throne.

The gullible weakling Zuko who was lucky to be born has taken _everything!_

Luck is nothing.

Am I nothing?


	66. Cold Water on My Hands

Prompt Number 10: Cold Water On My Hands

There was so much blood.

It was almost pathetic the way she was whimpering now, but she couldn't help it. She was a healer, first and foremost. What she had done just now...it was beyond her place, her capabilities.

There were warriors in her tribe to protect her. What she did was unnecessary. She was a healer. This warm...sticky...crimson liquid. It wasn't what she wanted or needed. So the man she cut down, so coolly, efficiently, was only a firebender. She did not feel bad about that. He had come to her home with ill intent, she was in every right to cut him down. But it was afterward that she can't live with.

There was so much blood.

She was breathing too heavily, she'll pass out at this rate, she assessed. Yugoda took a deep breath, willing herself to calm down and clear her mind. It was only a firebender, no one worthy of her time or conscience. _There was so much blood._She needed to clean up. Red. Red. Red.

No, it wasn't blood. No, no, no. Not blood.

Yugoda dipped her hand into the small bowl and watched the clear water turn red. _So much blood. _No. Pour it out. Refill it. The water turned pink. Yugoda couldn't bring herself to look. Pour it out. Refill it. And again. Soon, Yugoda could feel nothing but the cold water on her hands. As it should be. She was a healer. Not a warrior. Cold water on her hands, that's all she has. Not blood. Not blood.

_There was so much blood. _


	67. Fourteen

Prompt Number 7: I was fourteen when...

I was fourteen when I ran away from home...again.

But that time, I had a plan. My pops had died a year ago and had left me with Nyla. My ma was nothing to me. I barely knew her. For all I know, she wasn't really my mom. My pops liked his drink, his money, and his women. He loved his women, actually. But he always found time to train me, to show me how to work. He was a great father.

I had run away when he first died and those Earth kingdom officials brought me to this woman. It didn't take them very long to find me again, but a year later, I was better prepared. I already had a route and a course of action all mapped out. I'll go into bordering Fire Nation colonies - no Earth Kingdom official would ever step foot in that land, but I knew there were a lot of criminals just waiting for me to round up. And I went.

I never looked back.

* * *

I'm fourteen and I'm going to run away from home...again.

The war was over two years ago and although I took an active role in its conclusion, I'm still treated like a delicate flower. At first, when I returned home, everything was going great. My mother and father liked the fact that I was a hero and a personal friend of the Earth King. But then they became their regular selves again. I was dressed by the maids, fed by the maids, bathed by the maids, and guarded by a small army. Home sweet home, right? It was then that I decided to leave.

I know, Sugar Queen would tell me I'm being ungrateful, but I think she's full of it. She didn't like being treated like a helpless little girl in her own home, so what gives her the right to tell me I'm wrong and too stubborn when it's my life they're messing with? Whatever, it's not like I'm going to go to her for help. I'd rather eat my own feet than to listen to her nagging and railing.

But where will I go? I can't go to Zuko or Iroh without starting some stupid international debacle. Yes, I know, I _could_, but I won't. I could go to Twinkletoes, but he's so wrapped around Katara's finger, it's not even funny. I'd be back in Gao Ling before I even realized it. Sokka and Suki would probably help me out...but they're not completely immune to Katara's nagging either.

I'll just have to go above them. I don't need them! I'm the world's greatest earthbender even the Dai Li quiver in their pansy little boots at the thought of facing me!

It was rather easy tricking the maids into packing some clothes for me. I took out the guards, raised the back wall, and I'm out. Like taking candy from a baby.

* * *

I meet Jun the Bounty Hunter again a few days later. She was on her massive Shirshu, but I knew it was her. She looks at me, laughs, and offers me a drink.

"I'm underage." I say automatically, and I kick myself mentally. What a stupid, idiotic, Katara thing to say!

"So what, kid?" She presses the flask into my hand. "It's just us. Live a little."

And I think, why the hell not? "It's Toph, by the way."


	68. Snippets Pt 1

**Beginnings**

They did not have the most spectacular or pleasant beginnings, but it didn't matter. Azula cared very little for first impressions and Sokka found himself inexplicably drawn to the enigma that was Princess Azula.

**Ends**

The ends of their arguments were always spectacular. As expected, Sokka showed his anger and frustration with the haughty princess loudly and violently. What was unexpected was Princess Azula's similarly loud and disruptive behaviour. Zuko couldn't help but like this change in his sister.

**Poverty**

Fire Lord Zuko and Fire Lady Mai were generous with her. She was punished, but she did not suffer as much as she deserved - and they all knew it. She had been healed, her position as Crown Princess was in tact, and she many freedoms. She was still popular and was seen as a national hero to the populace. However, as soon as she was deemed safe, she was banished to a small home in the capital city. She had no visitors. Her life was an empty one.

**Wealth**

Sokka hated it when Azula flaunted her wealth in front of her. She knew he hated it, but did so anyways. It was hard enough trying to impress the haughty princess without her finding more reasons why he was an unsuitable match for her.

**Two of a Kind**

Sokka preferred not to dwell on his darker, secretive nature. He found it safer to act like the carefree goof he wanted to be. It was easier to manipulate others when they didn't expect it from him, but he knew he had met his match when he met Azula. She was cool, calculating and ruthless in her search for perfection - much like him. Most impressively, even half-mad under Healer Yugoda's hands, she was able to rant on and on about strategies, trade routes and pai sho. They were a well-matched pair, he had to admit. No one in their circle made the connection, and that pleased him even more.

**Past**

Azula was sure that she had been forgiven for most if not all of her past transgressions, but she knew that the past could not be changed or forgotten so easily. Going by the suspicious glances that the tribesman kept giving her, he was aware of it too.

**Present**

Mother. Mother. Mother left her. Despised her. Abandoned her and loved Zuko. Spend time with Zuko, but never Azula. Azula. Zuko. Azula. Azula. Azula. Blessed of Agni, heir of Ozai, Azulon's pride. Pride. Pain. Pride. Pain. Pain. Pain. Why? War. Win. Pain. War. War. Win. Why? Destroy. Support Father. Obey Father. Kill Father. Kill Zuko? Blue Waterbender. Water Tribe. Betrayal. Mai. Ty Lee. Why? Why? Alone. Alone. Fear.

"FEAR ME! DAMN YOU! FEAR ME!"

Sokka looked at the flailing Princess and silently walked away. He refused to be present to witness such a mind deteriorate.

**Future**

She was in one of her more lucid phases. But even when she was like this, she was highly volatile and dangerous. Her behaviour could change without warning. It had almost been two years and Yugoda had tried as she could, she and her apprentices had not been able to heal Azula's fractured mind. It seemed like her time at the mental institution had made her worse.

The old woman merely told a grave Zuko that they will have to pull her into their futures themselves. Azula had no will to fight for another day. She had no one left, and they all knew this. Zuko still wanted to try – and it was a feat easier said than done.

Sokka was her most regular visitor. He was the only one without pressing responsibilities and was obligated to visit. Despite his frequent grumblings and tortured silences, he faithfully dropped by each and every day for an hour. Soon, even Azula – mad as she was – noticed the pattern and came to look forward to his visits. He didn't say much, just sat there and stared, but it was enough, apparently. She looked to him one day. "S…Sokka?"

It was the first sound word she had said since her defeat three years ago.

**First**

The first person Azula sought out after making a full recovery was her mother. Ursa had a stronger bond with Zuko and Azula suspected she always will, but wanted to find the missing woman anyways. It was her own way of thanking Zuko. It would have been easy to just have her executed – but he saved her life. She didn't explain her reasoning, so she was only allowed to search if she had escorts. Katara, the ever so helpful healer, had volunteered. Or rather, conscripted. Sokka came willingly to protect his sister. Azula found it amusing that the Water Tribesman had no problem treating her normally when she was insane, but feared her when she was recovered.

**Last**

The last person Azula had wanted to face was Sokka. He was the one who had seen her at her lowest and stayed with her throughout the entire process. He was there so often, she remembered him – his face, his voice, and snippets of conversations they had. In contrast, she could barely make out Zuko's scar or her healers' faces in her haze. She knew she owed him and this gratitude she felt scared her deeply.

**Honour**

Azula was an honourable person, but everyone else assumes otherwise. What kind of person could hunt down their own family, attack the innocent, and throw her childhood friends into prison and still live with a sense of honour? But Azula does have an honour code she lives by. Vague and ambiguous in itself, Azula followed it to a T. The first, last and only rule was: honour Fire Lord Ozai. With Ozai gone, she was lost.

**Tears**

Never before had Zuko witnessed Azula's tears. She had been crying and wailing for several days, ever since she had been moved from the mental institution and installed back in her old apartments. The Water Tribe healers tried their best to soothe her, but they failed. A part of him felt guilty for not trying to placate his mad sister, but he was so busy. So many piles of paperwork, so many dignitaries, noblemen, and lawyers to meet with, so many things… By the time he could visit, he saw that her tears were being wiped away by another man: Hakoda.

**Laughter**

The laughter she heard through the open balcony doors of her suite did nothing to cheer her poor spirits. As a matter of fact, it had the opposite effect. Forlornly, Azula turned away from the open doors and fought to drown out the delighted sounds. They were so happy. They were better off without her.

**Hope**

She was talking now. She was still quite unstable and prone to relapses, but she was coherent. It started off with his name, but soon enough she was listing things, making demands, pouting petulantly and insulting those who displeased her. It disgusted him to see how Aang, Ty Lee, Katara and Zuko fell over one another to appease her, but if gave them hope so Sokka wisely kept his mouth shut.

**Fold**

Sokka returned one afternoon to find Azula on her bed, folding scraps of paper. Slim fingers moved in coordinated motions at lightning speeds. She didn't even look up from her work when he moved to take his regular spot at the foot of her bed. The 'normal' Princess Azula would have stopped to assess the invader of her space – and so, Sokka deduced that she had relapsed once more. "What are you making, Princess?"

He already knew. All around them, piles of cranes gathered – blue cranes, red cranes, pink cranes, white cranes, brown cranes, black cranes, cranes in all sorts of colours and sizes spilled across the red coverlet. Still, the young woman didn't look away from her work or pause. She answered coolly, "I'm going to fold a thousand cranes and have a wish granted by Agni."

Well, that was interesting. It was rare that he got a straight answer from Azula, no matter what state she was in. Sokka continued with his questions. He might as well take advantage of this opportunity when he had the chance. "What are you going to wish for, Princess? If you don't mind me asking?"

Those lightning fast fingers stilled immediately and the half-made crane slipped out of her fingers. Sokka sat up; expecting an attack, but Azula merely slumped over herself. She was a small girl, lost and vulnerable. "Mother's love."

**Love**

"He doesn't love you, you know!" Sokka shouted over his shoulder irately at the Fire Princess. The young woman brushed off Sokka's tone without as much as a blink. "He's just a stupid little daddy's boy who wants to use you. He doesn't love you or appreciate you and –"

Azula turned to face the pacing Southern Tribesman. He was making mad arm motions in between tugging at his hair. Honestly, Chen had asked to escort her to dinner tonight and she had accepted. It was one dinner. It wasn't like she loved Chen either. She had intended to never see that useless boy after this evening, but going by Sokka's reaction, Azula was tempted to keep Chen around for a while longer.

**Lust**

It was one night. They weren't drunk, but they wish they were. If they had been drunk, they would have been able to brush it off as a bit of inebriated madness – but they were sober. They knew what they wanted from each other and took it. That was all.

**Truth**

"I don't always lie…" she whispered into the stiflingly silent room. Sokka walked away.

**Lies**

Sokka knew that everyone, at some point in their time together had lied to him. Even Aang had tried to trick him (and failed) at one point. But Azula, ling to him was not her style – not when the truth would hurt him more.

**Clean**

The Fire Nation palace had servants. These servants were humble, efficient, dedicated and silent in their comings and goings. For their good service, they were treated well by the Royal Family. But one morning, they woke up in the pre-dawn hour only find their morning's chores done for them. In a state of panic, they asked around. Fire Lady Mai quickly answered to them, "Azula and I get bored easily."

**Boundary**

Despite having to travel together for who knows how long, Azula was aware that she was not welcomed on their side of the camp. It was an unspoken agreement between her and Sokka. Whenever Katara needed to check on her, Katara would be the one who moved to her side and then return to Sokka. Never once did they give any inclination that she could cross the boundary – and that exclusion was a cold slap to the face.

**Hands**

Slim, pale and beautiful with long nails, Azula's hands once held fire. Now, even without the use of her bending, she made a fierce ally and even more intimidating fore.

**Hair**

Sokka grew up as Katara's playmate. As a result, he was quite adept at braiding hair. At the time, he hated his 'play time' with Katara and resented his sister for keeping him indoors instead of outside, practicing his hunting or fighting. Many years later, he was grateful for the skills his sister had taught her. Azula sighed again, wistfully as Sokka ran an ivory comb through her light silky hair. If Azula didn't have the mindset of a six year old playing dress up, the scene would have been quite intimate. Sokka regretted.

**Eyes**

Her eyes gave her away. Ursa had found a new life after being banished by her husband. The seven year old earthbender with beautiful golden eyes was testament to that.

**Skin**

"If you let her change you, I will skin you alive, understood?" Sokka nodded. There was something scary about Suki these days…

**Blood**

The trip to the Northern Water Tribe had not been a pleasant one. Sokka spent the majority of his time trying to stop Katara and Azula from challenging any of the men of the tribe. It was their traditions and he knew it was unfair, but there was nothing they could do without causing an international crisis. But still, his blood ran hot with fury when Hahn (that utter prick) talked down to Azula. As if he would last five seconds in a real battle against the Princess.

**Mask**

There was a festival and there were masks. They didn't hesitate to don one (one red, one blue) and slipped into the heavy crowds, hand in hand.

**Naked**

There was nowhere to hide. Sokka had never been ashamed of his body and often luxuriated in the admiration he garnered from women. But when Azula walked in on his bath (quite purposely, going by the smug look on her face) he still yelped like a girl and tried desperately to hide himself.

**Clothing**

The violent and seductive reds Azula donned on a regular basis were abandoned. In a fit of rage, she had refused to don her nation's colours. Instead, she found comfort in the deep and solid colours of the Earth Kingdom. While Sokka watched the unstable princess go through her drills in a green outfit, he couldn't help but wonder what she'd look like in blue.

**Spirits**

She came to Azula in a dream. Tanned, beautiful and ethereal, she was perfect. "Give him a chance, Princess Azula." The beautiful spirit faded away.

**Jewellery**

After visiting the Northern Water Tribe, the necklaces she received no longer had any appeal. She did not like how close to a collar they resembled. And if she had any doubts on marriage before her visit to the Tribe, she no longer doubted. No man would treat her like a possession. It was the reason why she had rejected Sokka's first two proposals.

**Destiny**

Their destiny was an odd one. Their very love transcends time, but unlike other cases (such as the Avatar and his chosen wife), their destinies were independent of one another. They were not entangled throughout lifetimes. One life, they were lovers (Oma and Shu) but in another, they never met at all. In this lifetime, Azula was sure they would be together.

**Comfort**

Sokka did not know how to think or what to think when he learns of his father's visits to the unstable princess. Hakoda did not mean any harm, he knew that. He had wanted to provide some sort of father figure to the princess. Sokka didn't like it very much even though he knew his father meant well. He was just used to being the only one who provided anything for her.

**Attack**

The attack had been a vicious one. The tall and beautiful Ursa took them by surprise, but it didn't take too long for them to incapacitate the former Fire Lady. Princess Azula wasn't surprised that her mother would try to attack her anyways and had planned for it.

**Hug**

The hug Zuko gave her came as a surprise. She flinched, but returned the hug briefly before removing herself. Sokka thought it was progress that Azula didn't attack Zuko for surprising her. Zuko was not pleased by his observations.

**Corrupt**

Seven year old Mei Mei was an earthbender while she was a firebender, but that was where all their differences stopped. Even at such a young age, Mei Mei proved herself to be a prodigious bender and very much like Azula, her elder half-sister. Azula wondered if Ursa was aware of this.

**Possession**

Azula took great pains to label everything she owned a few weeks after Yugoda and her healers had left. Katara had thought it was progress. It meant Azula wanted to identify her new world and find a place in it. Whatever the true reason may be, Fire Lord Zuko and Fire Lady Mai obliged with Azula's whims. Everything she owned had been labelled with a thin slip of fabric in royal red. Even things she didn't technically own were labelled. My room, my bed, my palace, my chair, my tree, my comb, my clothes, my make up, my sword, my mirror. Those things were simple things and were easily understood. But then…my brother, my brother's wife and friend, my healer, my uncle, Avatar, my flexible friend, my blind friend – my Sokka. Suki hadn't liked that one bit.

**Obsession**

Zuko was becoming obsessed with his sister's happiness. The guilt he felt for her past and his negligence only fuelled the fires of obsession in him. Sokka did the only thing he knew how to help his friend. He allowed himself to be included in this fanaticism. He never suspected that he'll become just as obsessed as well.

**Conceal**

It was easy for him to hide his true nature. To most people – even to his baby sister and girlfriend, he was just a fun-loving, loud, cynical goofball with a charm no girl could resist. But underneath, he was dangerous. No one would or could figure him out, or so he thought, until he ambled into the newly recovered Princess Azula's chambers, a big goofy smile pasted firmly in place – that is, until she gave him one cold condescending look and said, "Stop hiding, you freak."

**Reveal**

The evening came and silence still reigned. After incapacitating Ursa and convincing/forcing her to move back to meet the Fire Lord, Azula did not know how to proceed. They were on their way back to the Fire Nation, but that was it. Tobu, Ursa's new husband and Mei Mei were attached to Sokka and Azula respectively, leaving Katara to entertain their 'guest'. Although Katara had heard many good things of the former Fire Lady, she refused to reveal anything about Azula to her. For that, the princess was infinitely grateful.

**Royalty**

The cheers the recovered Princess Azula received were possibly louder than the applause Zuko had. It was a dangerous life they were living and neither sibling wanted to analyze what the public was trying to tell them.

**Blanket**

Sokka shivered in his sleep again. Across the camp, Azula wondered why. It was cold here in the Earth Kingdom, but she was sure it was much colder at the poles. Azula took a deep breath and willed her inner fire to warm herself. She wasn't ready to bend yet, but she was well on her way. She needed no blanket and didn't have one either. But if she did, she'd give it to the boy.

**Dreams**

Her dreams scared her, he could tell. Yugoda had just started healing her – it was exhausting work that rendered the mad princess unconscious to the world. But even then asleep, Azula was not safe. Her own mind was against her and Sokka pitied her.

**Reality**

When she woke up to reality, she had lost years. She was no longer strong and powerful or young. After three years of madness, she was seventeen and weak. Her inner fire had extinguished and she doubted that she'll ever find another purpose in life to light it again.

**Price**

An attempt on Azula's life was reported after a year of her living in the mental institution. Zuko did not know what to do. Move his sister to the capital and risk her killing him or let her die?

**Music**

Azula loved music. Anyone who could play anything proficiently was welcome to spend time with her. Zuko, out of brotherly affection and sacrifice, played that infernal Tsungi horn he detested. Aang played the flute; Toph played the pipa while Katara and Iroh sang. Sokka regretted not being musically-inclined for the first time in his life.

**Dance**

As the flames danced around her bare feet, growing larger and higher with every breath she took, Sokka was tempted to join her – but held back. A flash of irritation flashed in her eyes before she beckoned Chen over and the two of them proceeded to call their fires back to life.

**Nurture**

Ursa was scared of her daughter Mei Mei. She preferred to play and coo over her younger daughter, three year old Lian, a non-bender. Before her very eyes, history was repeating itself, but this time, she'll stop it. Detaching herself from the Water Tribe siblings, Azula walked up to the lone child and lead her away silently.

**Destroy**

"You know, Zuko. The healers from our tribe can do more than heal."

Golden eyes carefully appraised his friend's expression. "What do you mean?"

"With a fractured mind as hers, one little push could end all of our problems…"

Blue clashed with gold. Zuko was ashamed to admit that he was tempted.

**Family**

Azula did not feel one tiny trickle of remorse when she uprooted Ursa's new family and had them meet her old one. They way she saw it, the woman didn't deserve another chance to ruin another daughter.


End file.
